Passionate
by Riasha
Summary: Fuji and Echizen’s second match goes almost exactly how the first one did; ending in lots of pent up frustration. So when they are the last ones in the locker room with all of these unfulfilled emotions, how will they handle the outcome? Thrill Pair
1. Chapter 1

SUMMARY: Fuji and Echizen's second match goes almost exactly how the first one did; ending in lots of pent up frustration. So when they are the last ones in the locker room with all of these unfulfilled emotions, how will they handle the outcome?

AN: I adore the Thrill pair. Mmmm, smexy.

Righto, so, I'm pretty new to PoT fanfiction, and I havent even watched halfway through the anime, so please forgive me if my characterization isn't at its best. I am trying, and I'd love any help that anyone would like to give. This will hopefully end up being a long story, but if you're not up for that, feel free to just read the first chapter as a one-shot, PWP.

Passionate

The racquet felt right and necessary in my hands, like I thought maybe a sword would feel to a samurai when there were people who lived that way, back before the invention of the gun. The racquet was just an extension of my own arm as I swung it and smashed the ball back at my opponent, who stood looking almost dispassionate. Maybe it was more like the way reins felt in an equestrian's hands: control, power, and supple strength. Maybe that was a better analogy. Maybe not. It worked for me.

The ball, which had been sent with one of my better strokes, came hurtling back at me, and I couldn't help but let a small smile touch my lips. That Fuji, he was respectable. Worthy. Playing him felt like the best thing, the rightest thing, like I'd finally found a nitch and it fit me perfect. His counters continually challenged me, brought out the best in me; made me push myself beyond anything I'd done before. It was a strangely electrifying, exciting experience every single time. Of course, this was only my second time ever playing Fuji, but it felt the same, like the rest of the world didn't exist. There was only Fuji, this court, and me. The cheering, comments and whispers did not penetrate my ears. The wind whistling around me did not affect me. I was hot, regardless of the sun, or lack of, my heart was pumping, my breathing even, deep, and difficult. It could have been freezing, snowing, raining, it wouldn't have mattered, and I wouldn't have noticed. Things like that would be too trivial to notice.

Nothing could make me take my attention off the sandy-haired boy across the court from me. Nothing.

I knew that I acted like a pretty passionless guy most of the time, but it was because all of my focus was put into this one moment, the few and far between times I got to play someone who might actually beat me. It brought on emotions like nothing else could, and I embraced these emotions fully, unlike the rest. The rest of the time I kept them squashed down where they belonged; out of sight. It would be too uncool if I displayed them, embarrassing even. But now, now nobody could begrudge me these strong emotions, and my smile widened and I stretched for a particularly well-aimed ball.

I didn't miss the fact that even with his normally serious and cold eyes, a challenging and excited smile was spreading across Fuji's lips. I think that was really what brought playing Fuji up above any other player, was that we shared in the joy, the control, and the challenge of it together. Through it, though we were opponents, we were still friends. And each smack of the ball seemed to bring us closer, developing a deeper understanding between us. I think Fuji and I might have been on separate universes if it wasn't for tennis. We would have lived in our very different worlds, never acknowledging the other or even caring. It was this game that forged an unbreakable bond between us, just like it was with most of the other players.

Though I could admit, if only to myself, that Fuji was different from the others.

Yes, that's right. It was nearly frigging Zen it was so perfect.

"Rah!" I put everything I had into the shot, directing it to an open spot, and finally got in a point against Fuji. I was losing, 2-3, so not by much, and was determined to even the score this set. The set score was 30-40. One more point and I'd break even for this set, a deuce.

At the beginning of the match, Fuji had let fly a few tricks I hadn't seen before, small things, purely beautiful expertise, that had got me behind three games. I hadn't underestimated him per-se, the problem was I had expected _him_ to underestimate _me_. Instead, I had found the other boy throwing almost everything he had at me, keeping both of his service games and forcing me to lose mine by an inch. The twist serve had gotten me a few points, but not enough to overcome Fuji's counter.

Seeing Fuji being pushed so hard had fueled something inside of me, and quite suddenly I was breaking through my own personal barriers, hitting harder, with the same precision, my decisions intelligent, my returns and counters flawless. I was making a come-back, and Fuji was fighting to prevent it, and we were both smiling.

Tezuka broke my perfect reality to pieces.

"Fuji, Echizen, that's enough. Clear the court immediately."

"Don't want to." I replied, tossing the ball to Fuji with every intension of returning a serve. My body automatically fell into a receiving position. I didn't even give the captain a second glance, though Fuji did. I only noticed this because I did not take my eyes off of him. Fuji's cold eyes fell on me, and he fell into a serving stance.

"_Fuji_." Tezuka's voice cracked across the court, coming like a blow to both of us, especially Fuji. To my surprise, the sandy-haired prodigy actually froze mid-swing, the ball falling harmlessly to the ground. I was astounded to see Fuji's hand tremble on the racquet, and then he lowered it and turned to Tezuka.

"Will you really forsake me this match and leave Echizen and myself so frustrated?" He said to the captain.

I turned to give Tezuka my own glare to make the point, but his face was impassive.

"Turn your frustration towards our opponents, not on each other." He said, and turned; obviously deciding that was the end of it. When he was out of earshot and Fuji had come across the court, clearly just as annoyed as I with this outcome despite his everlasting pleasant expression, I tugged my hat low.

"Arrogant prick," Came out as a mumble, and I heard a low chuckle (giggle?) in response. Fuji's voice always surprised me, because even though I knew the body and mind were male, he also gave the impression of female, mostly with his voice and the way he worded things. Of course, it didn't help that he was also short for his maturity (something we had in common) with a thin, lithe body. Not to say he wasn't strong, he was plenty strong, but he was also smooth, quick, and elegant. It was a strange combination, and sometimes (like now) it made me feel just a tad awkward. Could just be the unfinished match sitting between us like a hot, heavy wind sucking me closer to him.

We made our way to the locker rooms in silence, but the match was on my mind, and so I was going to say something.

"Mada mada dane." I growled, putting my racqet away with just a touch of unnecessary force. Fuji gave me a strained version of his pleasant expression.

"Perhaps Tezuka was a little jealous of our match." Fuji said, still smiling away, and I stared at him hard, keeping my face expressionless. "I think he wants to keep your excitement for himself." Fuji clarified, and I felt the corners of my mouth trying to pull into a frown. I smoothed my brow.

"Whatever." I said, and yanked my shirt over my head. I heard a small intake of breath, and gave Fuji a quick glance to see him giving me an expression I couldn't read.

"You really are an exciting partner, Echizen." I gave him a flat look but Fuji didn't take the hint and instead took the few steps needed to be closer to me, his hand reaching up to brush my sweaty bangs from my forehead. I was now actively glaring at the older boy.

"Don't hit on me." I said, and turned away to rummage in my locker until Fuji moved far enough away I'd be comfortable to finish undressing, except he didn't. So I turned back and gave him a good, hard look.

"Oh yes, that's nice." Fuji's eyes were open, and his lips were twisted into a slightly sadistic smile. I forced myself not to react to that crystalline cerulean gaze. "That challenging stare, those glittering eyes. Echizen, has anyone ever told you that you are very attractive when you wear that look?"

His fingers were caressing my tense jaw, and he was making it hard to think straight. "Don't touch me." I said, even though I was having thoughts I shouldn't be having. For one, Fuji was male, and two, he was my friend. These were not proper thoughts to be having about a male friend, especially when he was just teasing me in such a provoking manner. Because; surely Fuji couldn't be serious.

I was wrong of course.

Slender but strong fingers took ahold of my jaw, and when I started to fight his hold, Fuji dug them into my skin, biting hard, painful. So I stopped fighting and gave him the hardest look I could, clearly making the point that I was very aggravated with the tennis player. He grinned and leaned down quite suddenly to press his lips to mine.

I was too shocked to react. I mean, I hadn't really thought Fuji would kiss me. There was also the fact that my lips seemed to part of their own regard and soften and give. I didn't kiss him back, not exactly, not actively, but I did realize I was welcoming. As soon as I realized it and had enough presence of mind to stop, Fuji was already pulling back.

""I'm sorry, Echizen. You're just so irresistible." His eyes were open, and that sadistic grin made me think he wasn't sorry in the least. His fingers had slackened on my jaw and I tore my face away to look at my locker in front of me. Hard. My cheeks felt hot, and I wanted to put some distance between us, but my pride wouldn't let me. I was fighting against too many emotions at once, and so I just swallowed and took a moment to pull myself together.

"You know, Echizen-"

"I don't care." I cut into Fuji's words, and he just gave me a slightly amused look. I had decided that what had just happened didn't matter, and in fact wasn't important in the least. I straightened up, chin high, and went into the showers, calling over my shoulder as I went.

"Don't follow me, Fuji."

I managed to get the rest of the way undressed and hang my clothes up on the bar the big, white, waterproof, sheet hung from before my peace was interrupted. The curtain was supposed to give us privacy while we showered, or the illusion of it, but Fuji completely disregarded it and slipped in through the place where the curtain met the wall. I was turned away, facing the wall, letting the shower spray down my body, so I didn't see him enter, but I heard him just fine.

"Get out." I didn't turn to look at him, because to look at him would give his presence there meaning. Instead I grabbed the shampoo and started scrubbing my hair. The body that whispered naked warmth against my back, and the arms that slid around my waist and pulled me into the curve of that body told me Fuji definitely wasn't listening to me. I actually let the growl of annoyance in my chest come up my throat and out of my mouth.

"Are you _deaf_?" His chest was vibrating with laughter against my shoulders. I could feel his cock, hot and hard against my lower back. My _very_ lower back.

"You have no idea how cute you are, do you?" Shit, Fuji was doing the answer-a-question-with-a-question game. I knew I couldn't win this one, so I yanked violently away from the body pressed against mine, but only succeeded in giving myself less room to maneuver when Fuji held tight and moved forward with me a step, putting me even closer to the wall. There were thrills of something going up and down my spine and spreading like fire through me, heating my blood. Adrenaline. I stood frozen for a long second, partly in fear, partly wondering what was going to happen now, and Fuji showed me what was going to happen now. His left hand came across my chest, holding me tightly to him, while his right hand slid across my stomach and then down and found something I'd only just realized.

"My, Echizen, you're quite excited yourself." That was obvious, and I didn't really want to admit it, so I looked at the floor.

"Shut up." I mumbled, without my usual force, and was perturbed to realize that I couldn't quite muster it up.

"Okay." Fuji said, and stopped talking, but now he was touching me, and that was better. No, worse. Much worse. His delicate but rough fingers danced up my length and his thumb brushed over the sensitive tip. A small sound escaped me before I could stop it and I bit my lip. This situation was deteriorating more and more, and there seemed to be little I could do about it. I was out of control of it.

"Stop it, Fuji-sempai." I said, and my voice didn't even sound demanding to me. It sounded weak, and breathy, and as unsure as I really was. Of course Fuji heard that in my voice, because his fingers wrapped firmly around my cock and he stroked, slowly, wonderful. My back arched, my lip painful between my teeth, and somehow that only made it even worse.

God.

"You're going to bloody your lip." Fuji touched my lower lip gently where my teeth had dug into it, and I bit him. I bit him to show him that this wasn't going to be easy, and I bit him because I wanted to sink my teeth into something. There was a sharp intake of breath near my ear, a thrust against my ass, and his hand convulsed around my cock, all at the same time. I bit down harder, by accident this time in reaction to _his_ reaction, and Fuji made a small pain sound, his hand tightening on me again. It was an endless circle of reaction until I finally unstuck my teeth, moaning, and Fuji slipped his finger from between my lips. He slowly pulled his hand away from my cock and I wanted to cry at its loss, because I was starting to feel desperate and needy. My body was pulsing hot.

I wanted more.

At first, I was a little astonished by this, but I came to terms with it quickly. Obviously, this did not bother Fuji, not any of it, and I didn't think that the other boy had planned this until we had entered the locker room. Maybe I was wrong, it was Fuji after all, and the prodigy was a mystery, but I didn't think so. Either way, I wanted something, and Fuji could, and was quite willing, to give it to me. I'd figure out the rest later.

I turned into the embrace gone slack around me to find Fuji looking a bit flustered and oh, so sexy. I didn't know how to express what I wanted in words, so instead I tipped my head back to stare into those suddenly hot eyes, giving him a challenging look. I took his hand, figured out which finger I had bitten and lifted it to my mouth. Inside, I was in wonder that I could be so bold, but outward, I kept my eyes directly on his. He'd said he liked that; let's see what he thought of this.

His finger slipped past my lips and I carefully soothed the bite, sucking on that small appendage and letting my tongue swirl around it to flick along the underside. Tension marched through Fuji's arms, shoulders and chest, and I realized that he was fighting to stay still. I smiled slightly around that finger and pulled it slowly out until it made a little _pop_ and licked my lips. I could still taste his skin on my lips.

Now Fuji looked as desperate as I felt, and he stared at me with an unreadable expression, his hands fisted, his body trembling slightly. Quite suddenly, his sadistic smile returned, maybe it had been something in my expression, I don't know, but he moved.

My back was pressed against the cold wall, and Fuji's lips were assaulting mine. It wasn't nice, and it wasn't gentle, and I didn't care. Instead I was fighting with my tongue and lips to take control of the kiss. The advantage wasn't mine though, what with the angle and Fuji's strength, and when his tongue darted past mine to stroke and touch, I was glad the wall was there. I might not have stayed upright otherwise. Fuji's body pressed close to mine, his long, slim leg between mine, our cocks rubbing deliciously. I was making small noises into the kiss, encouraging noises, and Fuji pulled back with a dazed expression, his hand fumbling to stroke my erection, going lower to gently fondle the sacs, and then he made a small displeased noise and kicked my feet farther apart. His hand traveled farther still and alarm bells started to ring distantly in my head.

"Fuji, what are you-" His mouth descended on mine to shut me up, and his finger felt slick when it probed the small, tense hole. I realized distantly he must have gotten shampoo on his fingers first to make this easier, but my thoughts scattered, because one finger was slowly working its way in, wriggling, pressing hard. My muscles tightened in reaction and I heard the prodigy groan.

"Echizen, relax." he said against my lips, and he stood up straight, bracing his feet apart; and his other hand wrapped around my erection and squeezed hard. I hadn't been expecting it and a wild cry left my lips, half pleasure, half panic. Before I could do more than take another breath, his hand was pumping, stroking, squeezing, so hard it was too much. My body was jerking and thrusting in reaction, desperate, and I felt his finger slam home. The pain was distant and heady and wonderful and another cry, much like the one before, fell from my lips. Another finger joined the first, stretching me painfully, but his other hand kept on pumping, and the pain translated into pleasure, and I was lost to sensation. Again and again his two fingers thrust into me, scissoring, his other hand distracting me from any discomfort.

It was when his fingers were moving more easily that I realized his hand on my cock was nearly unnecessary, because his fingers prodded something wonderful. I got my elbows on the wall behind me, giving myself a little room to move. His fingers thrust into me again, and I slammed towards it, and his fingers jammed into that same spot again. I felt pleasure so intense I was numb with it, but before it could explode, Fuji yanked his fingers from inside of me.

"Not yet, not yet, not yet." Fuji was saying under his breath, and he turned me roughly around to plaster me against the wall. My face hurt, because the move hadn't been gentle in the least. I fought to breathe, to think, a hand pressed against my shoulder to hold me where I was, and wondered what was going on. It felt like a long moment before something I could see or feel happened, and when it did I writhed up against the wall. Fuji's soap-slick cock was pressing against my anus, and my brain was clearing, and this seemed like a bad idea.

"_Echizen_." Fuji gasped behind me, and shoved himself into me. I screamed and bucked and shuddered. Fuji went still.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly, breathy.

"Don't stop!" I begged, mindlessly trying to move against him. "Please don't stop!"

Fuji's breath went out sharply and he pulled out to slam himself back in. I shoved back at him, gaining enough space to brace my legs apart and my forearms against the wall, and I shoved myself onto him as he shoved in.

"God, Echizen," he groaned, his fingers digging into my hips. I was crying out inarticulately now after each thrust, my body straining towards his, and he was pumping into me so hard and fast I couldn't move with him, but had to just brace for the rapid thrusts. The pleasure built to unbearable levels and finally I came onto the wall with a strangled cry. The pleasure didn't stop, because Fuji was still pounding into me, and then he slammed home one last time and yelled, shuddering against my back. My knees didn't want to hold anymore, and Fuji pulled himself out of me and let us both sink down onto the wet floor.

We were leaning against each other, trying to catch our breath, euphoric. I felt like maybe there were pressing things, important things, I should be thinking about, but the after-glow kept them at bay. Fuji shifted until his back was against the wall, letting the warm spray of the shower rain down on him, and pulled me next to him. I leaned into him almost automatically. It seemed stupid after what had just happened to even think about pulling away or resisting.

"Echizen, you really are an exciting partner." Fuji murmured in my ear.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Oh, I've been really enjoying writing this lately. I hope all of you enjoy the results!

**My Reviewers!**

AnniCat: I hope I've provided more of Ryouma-brand confusion for your reading pleasure. I think you might enjoy a witty line or two in here too. If you do, don't be afraid to let me know! ^.^

BlackVixin: There's a lot less of the smex in this chapter, mostly because I'm going to work on moving the story forward a bit more before there's more of it. Alas! I have a little bit of heavy teasing for you in chapter four if things go as planned. Anyway, I'm very glad you enjoyed the last chapter, and I do hope you enjoy the following one(s).

Thank you both so much for the reviews! Please take note, readers! As much as I enjoy these wonderful, sweet reviews, criticisms and flames are also welcome. I really want to know what you have to say. XD

Chapter 2

My dream wasn't one of those hard ones to figure out.

I was on the court, playing doubles with Fuji. Our opponents were nameless, faceless, but known all the same. They were everyone we would ever play, our opponents, our teammates. Everyone. What everyone seemed to think should have been an easy win for Fuji and I was the most difficult game I'd ever played, and not because of the strength of the faceless players across the court. It was because Fuji and I couldn't stop looking at each other. We'd miss easy volleys because the ball would come my way, but I'd been too busy staring at Fuji, watching the way he moved, to notice. Fuji wasn't playing at all.

"I'll leave everything to you, Echizen." His voice caressed my ears like an intimate whisper even though we were yards apart. "I'm counting on you."

The shriek of the alarm clock broke me from the dream and I fumbled for it, finally slamming it into silence without opening my eyes. I cuddled back up in bed and tried to go back to sleep. Hazy thoughts started to drag sluggishly through my mind and I tried to fight them off, but to no avail. My dream, instead of fading and losing its grasp on my mind, instead had me thinking.

_"I'm counting on you."_

I rolled over onto my back in the bed, eyes snapping wide open, and then winced when my body started to complain a bit.

Okay, so I was obviously a bit worried about what happened with Fuji in the locker room last night affecting my tennis. That seemed pretty obvious. I pondered why in my dream Fuji wouldn't be playing. Could it be that I was worried Fuji wouldn't challenge me on the courts anymore? No, I didn't think that was all of it, maybe part of it, but not all. I reached up to rub my sleep-weary eyes and paused in mid-motion.

_"I'm counting on you."_

I cringed and stared at the ceiling. Did I not want that kind of responsibility? Could it be, with all of my confidence, I was really afraid of letting them down? Well, not them. Was I afraid of letting that damn Fuji down? This was Tezuka's fault too, with all of his talk about becoming a 'pillar of support' for the team, for Seigaku. I didn't _want_ to be a pillar for anyone. I just wanted to beat my god-damned father! Couldn't they see that the team didn't really matter to me, that all I wanted was to learn and strengthen myself? If it was true that I didn't care, then how could it be true that I was afraid of letting them all down?

The thought irritated me enough to make me tumble out of bed (groaning and wincing the whole time) and stagger over to my bureau to pick out clothes for the day. The pitter patter of rain made me check out the window and I sighed, a little let down by the weather. It was probably best that practice would be put off until either this afternoon or tomorrow since I was having a little trouble walking normally, but thinking this only made me more aggravated. I wasn't delicate, and I _would_ play tennis today, even if it was raining.

That decided, I shambled over to the bathroom and turned the water on. I put my clothes on the sink edge and caught a glimpse of my reflection, making me do a double-take. My right cheek was pretty bruised up, and when I ran my fingers over it, I winced, because the skin was a little scraped too.

The memory hit me hard enough that I grabbed the sink edge in a death grip to stay upright.

_I felt pleasure so intense I was numb with it, but before it could explode, Fuji yanked his fingers from inside of me._

_"Not yet, not yet, not yet." Fuji was saying under his breath, and he turned me roughly around to plaster me against the wall. My face hurt, because the move hadn't been gentle in the least. I fought to breathe, to think, a hand pressed against my shoulder to hold me where I was-_

Shaking off the memory was all kinds of difficult, and even when my mind was mostly free of it, my body wasn't. I did my best to ignore the throbbing between my legs and frowned at my reflection. Now that I was remembering and looking for it, I could see small scrapes all over my chest, nothing serious, but things that might be noticed in a locker-room with a bunch of concerned friends. I swore under my breath and tried to think of something to explain it away. Nothing good came to mind immediately and I sighed and climbed (carefully, my breath hissing between my teeth like Kaidoh was so fond of doing) into the tub.

The shower water pounding down on me started out being soothing, and ended up provoking more memories.

"_You're going to bloody your lip." Fuji touched my lower lip gently where my teeth had dug into it, and I bit him. I bit him to show him that this wasn't going to be easy, and I bit him because I wanted to sink my teeth into something. There was a sharp intake of breath near my ear, a thrust against my ass, and his hand convulsed around my cock, all at the same time. I bit down harder, by accident this time in reaction to his reaction, and Fuji made a small pain sound, his hand tightening on me again. It was an endless circle of reaction until I finally unstuck my teeth, moaning-_

I'd actually moaned aloud, because my traitor hand had started to recreate the memory of Fuji's hand on me, and though it wasn't as good, it was still amazing. Once started, it was like breaking a dam and I couldn't stop. I moaned and thrust into my hand and eventually came all over the shower wall.

Ashamed, I cleaned up my mess and launched myself from the shower. Every motion was a little bit jerky, angry, and when I tried to dry certain places like that and they reminded me with a rush of pain that I shouldn't do that, I took a long, slow, deep breath. I let the anger out on that breath and felt just a tiny bit better. It was enough that I didnt have any more issues getting ready, though I was still ready for school in record time. I actually got to eat breakfast that morning.

"Ryouma?" A hand waved in front of my face and I realized that as I was eating, I'd been spacing out. Thinking about he-who-must-not-be-named. (And no, it's not Voldemort.)

"Sorry Nanako, what was that?" I said, and I sounded tired and annoyed even to me. Nanako looked like she wanted to reprove me, but instead just gave me an assessing look and repeated herself.

"I asked you if you wanted a ride to school since it's raining."

I blew out a breath, making my dark bangs scatter away from my eyes. "Ah, thanks." I finally said, and finished up my cereal. We left shortly after, and just when I thought I was in the clear from any questions, Nanako spoke up.

"Hey, Ryouma-kun, is something wrong?" She asked gently, pulling to a stop in front of the school. I slipped from the car and turned back to look at her.

"No." I slammed the door shut and stared at her through the open passenger window. "See you later," and walked away. I didn't turn and look, but I could feel her eyes burning holes into my back. Instead I sauntered into school just like any other day, except this wasn't any other day, and something big had changed. Irrevocably.

~*~

School was moving so slowly that I thought I was going to scream. Nobody was acting differently, and I still had to do all the same old things, but everything looked different. The world felt like it had tipped slightly on its axis rotation. I felt like everybody else should have seen it too, and when they didn't, I couldn't help but be a bit annoyed with them. The English teacher made another mistake with possessive pronouns, and instead of pointing it out and giving him a hard time like I normally did, I just strolled up, fixed the sentence, and then went back to my desk to brood without a word. The teacher, looking a bit flustered, checked my change against his English book, checked again, flushed harder, and left it be. By now everyone was so used to me correcting the teacher that they thought nothing out of the ordinary.

Except the English teacher, who kept giving me surreptitious curious glances that I pretended not to see.

Finally lunch rolled around and I shuffled down the hall towards the cafeteria, wishing quite sincerely that it wasn't down-pouring so I could go up on the roof by myself. I'd had brief thoughts about not eating at all, but my stomach and pride had both made themselves known, and now trepidation was eating through me. I allowed myself to draw the short walk out, going along at a pace that only barely hurt.

"Looking a little sore there, Ryouma-kun." A familiar voice breathed across my ear and I nearly stumbled in surprise, my whole body tightening in shock for a moment. Fuji was looking rather pleased by my reaction, and I glared up at him.

"It's your fault." I accused, and Fuji leaned down, a hand on my shoulder keeping me still when I started to lean away.

"I seem to remember a certain someone begging me not to stop when I tried to go easy on him." Fuji said lowly in my ear, and the cruelty of the remark was not lost on me, nor was my shame as the memory washed over me.

_"Don't stop. Please don't stop!"_

I cringed at the memory of my own voice and yanked away from the other boy, wishing I had my favorite hat to pull over my burning face right about now. I even went as far as to reach for it before I remembered it wasn't there and let my hand drop to my side. I didn't have any way to respond to him, so I just turned away and tried to hurry as much as I could without limping to the cafeteria. Fuji kept up with me pretty easily and when we almost within earshot of the others (who had somehow already gotten there and were seated, eating and bantering) Fuji's face lit up with what I could only presume was something I wouldn't like.

"Wouldn't you say it's about time I told the other regulars just how brazen and shameless our sweet, dispassionate ochibi can be?" Fuji's expression was pure, sarcastic evil.

"You wouldn't dare." I growled out, and Fuji just grinned at me and went to the lunch table. After a brief, frozen moment, I unstuck my limbs and hurried over, because Fuji Syusuke definitely _would_ dare. The only open seat was directly across from the prodigy tennis player, but that was fine by me. It would be easier to lung across the table and choke him if he started spouting off about something stupid.

Eiji was suddenly on top of me. I hadn't even seen him coming. His arms were wrapped tightly around me and his cheek was pressed against my unhurt one.

"Ochiiibiii!" Eiji drew out both syllables like I'd offended him. "Where did you get those bruises, Ochibi?" He asked loudly and inquisitively. I dared a glance at Fuji and found him regarding me with his usual expression.

"Yes, Echizen, how _did_ you get those bruises?" Fuji asked, sounding pleasant and normal enough, his hand cupping his face and his elbow taking that weight where it was braced on the table. I knew he was waiting to hear what I would say, challenging me.

"Fell down playing tennis." I muttered, and nearly leapt out of my seat when I felt a sock-covered toe snake up my calf under the edge of my pant leg. I glared at Fuji, but he kept up his pleasant expression in place like his toe wasn't drawing lazy circles around my ankle-bone.

"Echizen, did you keep on playing after dark last night?" Oishi asked disapprovingly.

"That's our Echizen." Momo cut in, grinning his big, stupid grin. "Always focused on tennis."

"We have outdoor lights at home." I said, somewhat defensively, glad I didn't have to lie about that at least. Fuji's toe somehow managed to glide up to the back of my knee and I yanked back, wincing at the sudden movement.

"Oi, oi, warn someone when you're going to move quickly." Eiji complained, rubbing his bruised arm where I'd accidentally hit him with my quick movement.

"It's not my fault you were hanging all over me." I said, knew it sounded cruel, and didn't care.

"Ochibiiii!" I pointedly ignored him and the redhead went into a pout, glaring at me. Fuji was giving me a strange expression now, but at least he was keeping his feet to himself.

The rest of lunch went strangely as it usually did, with the exception of some stray glances Fuji and I shared. No one seemed to notice though, and when the warning bell rang for the next period, I packed up and left unaccosted. Well, mostly unaccosted, if you didn't count Momo putting me in a headlock to pick on me about how much I was devoted to my chosen sport. I got into the next class and even through the rest of the day without seeing Fuji, and was just a little surprised... and disappointed. It was hard to admit to myself, but it seemed I had expected Fuji to go to extra lengths to tease me, and it was a strange kind of let down to find the older boy nowhere in sight. Perhaps he'd taken the hint and decided teasing me wasn't worth it? Or maybe Fuji was just tired of me already and was moving on to a new victim to manipulate. Was I really so boring?

Did it matter?

Of course not.

~*~

"Oi, Echizen, what are you doing here?"

I ducked my head and retied my shoes to avoid looking up and answering Momoshiro. But Momo was persistent, and he waited me out. I sighed and sat up to give him an irritated look.

"None of your business." I got my racquet out of the bag and exited the locker room, looking for quiet corner. It was not to be, though.

"It's still raining, dummy. You can't practice in this." Momo was following after me out into the light drizzle. I tugged my spare hat down to keep the rain out of my eyes and was glad I'd thought to keep this hat in my tennis locker. Momo, on the other hand, was getting soaked. His normally gel-spiked hair was losing its battle with the rain and plastering against his head.

"Go home." I told the other boy, and kept walking, my racquet balanced up on my shoulder, my left hand already around one of the balls in my pants pocket. Momo seemed intent on ignoring me and getting himself soaked, because he kept following me. I shrugged and stopped at a convenient piece of wall. It was his funeral if he wanted to sit out here with me and catch a cold. The ball in my hand was pulled from my a pocket and after a few bounces to get the feel of the damp ball, I tossed it gently up and smacked it lightly against the wall.

Pain lanced casually through my lower body, but it was bearable, and I grit my teeth and focused on hitting the ball gently to the same exact spot. When I was doing that with absolute consistency, I changed the angle slightly so the ball came back on my right, forcing me to hit it with a backhand. It came back just to my left, just as I planned it, and I sent it back to the wall in a forehand hit. The backhand hit was a little more painful than the forehand, but still bearable, so I upped the power, forcing myself to react faster and with more precision to disallow the ball getting by me, continuing to alternate sides with each hit.

The pain was a general ache now, and after a few of these fast, hard hits I had to stop, catching the ball on my racquet and huffing. It wasn't that I was really that exerted, so much as I hadn't remembered to breath well through the pain. But it had been bearable, and yeah I wouldn't be at the top of my game today, but so long as I didn't make it worse, I would be back to normal in a few days. Maybe even tomorrow. I bounced the ball absently on the edge of my racquet as I was thinking, still turned towards the wall, and jumped hard enough to lose my timing and drop the ball when Momo spoke. I had forgotten he was there.

"Did you really just fall playing tennis, Ryouma?" His tone implied that he knew I was making stuff up, but I certainly wasn't about to tell Momo that Fuji had butt-fucked me so hard that I could barely walk today. Nope, that one was staying just between me and Fuji.

"Ah." I answered affirmatively, and then headed back to the locker-room, unsurprised when Momo fell in step next to me.

"Come on Echizen, you don't really expect me to believe that, do you?"

I ignored him (I'd had lots of practice), but Momo'd had practice too.

"Did you get into an accident? Pull a muscle?"

I continued to ignore him and Momo continued to pester me.

"Did you try to beat somebody up? Ah, no, that's not you. Did someone beat you up for showing them up?"

Okay, I had to admit, that one was possible, and I felt my lips twitch towards a smile. Momo, seeing this, rallied.

"Hmm... From the way you're moving it looks like its your lower back." He went on, and now I was a bit uneasy. Was it so obvious? "You overdid it, didn't you?" Momo smirked playfully. "I'll bet you were enjoying yourself with one of your many fangirls, weren't you?" He was really getting into it now. "Or maybe one of these perverted guys around here just couldn't stay away from your young body anymore? Was that it, Echizen?" He was grinning widely.

Even though I knew Momo was just picking on me, I blanched slightly. I'd never thought that he'd hit upon the truth in his musings.

Momo saw my reaction and his eyes widened. "That's not-"

I cut in. "What perverted guys?" I tried to sound a bit outraged. I was trying to divert his attention, because I didn't want him to think he was right. I couldn't have Momo find out. He'd think it had been forced on me, and then he'd tell the others to try and find out who did it... and if he thought it was my choice, well, then he'd react even worse, wouldn't he? I could almost envision the disgust on his face.

"They're around." Momo said vaguely, obviously troubled. He'd also avoided answering the question, which meant he either had thought I had already known and didn't want to be the one to tell me, or I didnt know them. I was betting on the former. "Echizen, about-"

"What guys?" I interrupted again, and now Momo was definitely distracted. We entered the locker room and I turned to glare at the older boy, hoping to force the words out of him. Finally he sighed and I knew I had won.

"Listen, you didn't hear this from me, okay? But I think you're old enough to know these things..." He trailed off, looking distinctly uncomfortable, and sat down on one of the benches. I stayed standing. "You know how Eiji is always so cuddly with all of us?" I nodded. "Well, uh, he's... he's gay. And most of us think Oishi is too."

I dropped onto the bench next to him, quite stunned, but Momo wasn't finished.

"Fuji and Kawamura have both been known to have interests in boys and girls. And I don't know about Inui, Kaidoh or Tezuka. They don't share."

I closed my mouth, wet my lips, and asked the question on my mind at the moment. "What about you?"

Momo flushed. "I like girl's of course!" His tone implied that he was slightly outraged I'd even asked. Finding my world slowly being righted, I managed a grin.

"Just checking."

He grumbled under his breath for a minute before his expression went back to being inquisitive as I got up and started changing to go home.

"Hey Echizen..."

I didn't pause but kept on with what I was doing, my back to the other tennis player. "Yeah?"

"Does it bother you to know you will have to change in here with boys who find your body attractive?" He mumbled it, and I realized Momo was ever so slightly bothered by this question himself. I waited until my clothes were settled on my body and my bag was packed before I answered. I turned towards the door and as I was going by him, I spoke.

"Who am I to complain about it?"

Who, indeed?

~*~

When I got home, Nanako and my father were both quite ready to jump on me about not telling them I was staying at school a little late, but luckily, the phone rang. Nanjiroh picked the phone up and spoke for a few moments before laughing and covering the mouthpeice with his hand. I had been about to make my escape into my room when his voice stopped me.

"Hey, Ryouma, one of your friends was wondering if you're free for a date this evening." The expression on his face said he was enjoying the word 'date' way too much. I should have just said no, but curiosity won out before I could think it through well.

"Who is it?" I couldn't imagine Ryuzaki's granddaughter (what was her name again?) having enough courage to do it. Maybe it was that other girl who was always with her, the one who always cheered so exuberantly-

"Fuji, I think he said. Fuji Syusuke." My father was still grinning at me.

I felt all the blood drain from my face. How had I not expected something like this? I didn't trust my dad to relay the message properly, so I snatched the phone out of his hand to a surprised "Hey!" and brought it to my ear.

"Fuji." I was in control, and my voice was deadpan.

"Saa." The phone told me in Fuji's pleasant tones.

"Don't call here again." I hung up.

The phone started to ring almost immediately and by reflex I picked it up and then let it drop back in the cradle to the astonished stares of my father and my cousin.

"Ryouma, that's so impolite!"

"Boy, why are you hanging up on your friend?"

I ignored them both and started to turn away, but the phone rang again. My father lunged for it, but I was closer, and I got it first, but then had to fight to keep it, battling quick, tennis-reflexive hands. Finally I got the phone dropped back in the cradle and we both froze, waiting to see if it would ring again. My hand was on the phone, my father hovering over me, and for a full count of twenty nothing happened. Then quite suddenly another ring split the air. I picked up the phone and brought it to my ear, ready to end this stupid game now. I didn't say anything for a second and a tentative voice reached my ears.

"Echizen? If you're there, please just lis-"

I didn't let Fuji finish. "That's enough, Fuji. I'm not playing whatever demented game you are. Tell whoever whatever you want, I don't care. Just don't bother me. Stop calling me. I'm through with this." I was clear, concise, firm. I would not play into Fuji's hands. If he had no hold on me, he couldn't blackmail me, and he couldn't tease me anymore. I was not a toy for him to play with.

"Demented game?" Fuji finally said, and he didn't sound amused. I couldn't tell over the phone what was in his voice. It sounded empty. Could it be I had hurt Fuji's feelings?

Not my problem.

"That's what I said."

I realized Nanako and Nanjiroh were staring at me open-mouthed and I turned my back on them, wondering if they had any idea what was going on.

"You think I'm using you for amusement." Fuji said carefully.

"I know you are."

Again there was a long pause. I stayed absolutely still, because more than anything, I wanted to fidget. No, no, more than anything, I wanted to be up in my room where I could think.

"I've got homework. See you at practice tomorrow." I said finally.

This time when I hung up I didn't wait to see if the phone would ring again, because I was almost a hundred percent sure it wouldn't. And as I hung up my coat and unpacked my bag's clothes to be washed, there was only silence. I left the wet, dirty clothes on the pantry floor for someone to wash and made my way up to my room to the same silence.

It was beautiful.

~*~

A knock disturbed my peace. "Boy, I'm coming in."

I was relaxing quite comfortably on my bed with my cat curled up on my stomach as my father entered the room. He sat on the end of my bed (my eyes were closed, but I felt it well enough) and stayed silent for so long my eyebrow started to twitch in annoyance.

"Is there a reason you're here?" I asked finally, and felt the bed shift slightly.

"What's going on with you and that Fuji guy, Ryouma?"

I felt my face scrunching into a frown. "None of your business."

"Come on, boy of mine. Why were you so mean to him?"

The words popped out of me before I could stop them. "Because he's a sadistic bastard."

A short, charged silence followed. When I peeked open one eye, my father looked distinctly uncomfortable. Karupin shifted slightly but otherwise didn't react to the tension levels in the room.

"Ryouma, your not, I mean, that is..." I let him fumble because I didn't want to help him. It was easier to let him dig his own hole. "You aren't sexually active, are you?"

Shit. I hadnt thought my dad was that perceptive. Also, I thought if anything he'd get so stuck on the two boys thing that he'd never make it past that. "No." I lied pretty easily.

"If you were, or are, it's okay, really. You're a little young... Younger than I had been! But so long as you're being careful about it-"

"No!"

He hesitated and plowed ahead. "This Fuji guy... he isn't making you do anything you don't want to, is he?" And now my dad sounded more serious than I'd ever heard him. It was strange. I considered saying many things, from: "Oh no, I wanted to" to "What about the fact that's he's a _he" _and finally decided simplicity was the best course.

"No."

I was the Prince of Negative Ambiguous Answers today.

My father blew out a breath and stood up from the bed, looking older than I'd ever seen him look. Maybe it was the seriousness on his face. I don't think I'd ever seen him like that.

"Listen, if you ever need to talk, about any of this, just tell me. I know I'm not very reliable sometimes, but in this, I can be as serious as you need me to be. I won't judge you." And now he looked slightly pained, but it was his usual expression, not real pain. "To think a son of mine might be more interested in boys than girls." He shook his head, grinning at me. "Maybe if I gave you some of my magazines you'd change your mind-"

I threw the closest thing at hand at him (which, low and behold, was a tennis ball) and he ducked out of the room, shutting the door behind him and leaving me with the echo of his laughter. Karupin had finally been unsettled when I had moved, and he meowed angrily at me and resettled himself. I stayed staring at the door for quite a while, thinking over what my father had said, and finally a small smile touched the edges of my mouth, almost unwillingly.

A stray thought wiped the smile off of my face like it had never been there.

Everyone around me seemed to be okay with the idea of someone close to them being gay, myself included there, but I hadn't even considered how _I_ felt personally about possibly finding other boys attractive.

The thought flung me back on the bed to do some more brooding.

Like I hadn't done enough of _that_ today.


	3. Chapter 3

REVIEWS!!! *tacklehuggleglomps all of her wonderfulpreciousamazing reviewers*

PheonixShadow- starts out painful, but then gets better, promise. xD In fact, if you people keep sticking around, you'll see something really fun. *wink*

BlackVixin- I'm glad you think it's IC. I'm trying really hard, but feel like I'm just missing the mark all the time. It's nice to have some support. ^^

animelovermitsuki- A date, huh? Your wish is my command!! *poof* Actually, I wrote this a long time ago. XD I just havent gotten to editing it until just now. Real Life got in the way.

Siffel-Oh, another pervert to share my dirty-ness with, yay! I would LOVE to fulfill your desires, sweetie. Read on and let me know if your satisfied. XD

JBubbles- "Hum" is not a review. If you've nothing nice to say, then say the not nice things! lmao

AnniCat- It's quite alright, dearie, I've been a little slow myself lately. I'm sorry to say that everything after the shower incident shall not be gone into in detail. I hope new developements in the story will make up for it though!

EchizenRyomaLover- I like brooding. I brood a bit myself, so for me, it's very realistic indeed, and Ryouma seems like a brooder to me. XD

xxSnowxxAngelxx-Ha ha, Ryouma is only getting started, my dear. ^.~ Not so terribly much in this chapter, but later on... kukukuku.

Neko4- *rolls eyes* I can't tell you what's going to happen next!! You're just going to have to wait and see... and read this chapter. lmao

mel92- More support! thank you!! I have something against Tezuka I guess. .

Cinammon Sweet-Ohhhs, do I gots me a latino reviewer? (I apologise PROFUSELY if I got that wrong. .) Anyway, even more support!! YAY!! ...your favorite? *blushes* I bet you say that to all of the authors... .'

ElementalFoxGoddess- Your wait is over. ^^ Updated, but not exactly soon... I hope you hadn't given up on me. .

A great big whopping THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed. Now, here's what some kind words and a bit of patience gets you:

CHAPTER 3

My alarm clock broke shrilly through my sleep, and I knocked it down trying to turn it off. I made an exasperated noise and yanked myself to the edge of the bed to reach over and scoop the clock up, hitting the button to turn it off. I set it back above me and settled back into bed, eyes closed, snuggled into my pillow. My mind drifted.

A harsh knock made me jump up in surprise. I realized immediately that I'd fallen back asleep and glanced at my alarm clock, only to groan and throw myself out of bed. I had ten minutes to get ready, and if I was lucky, I might get a ride to school again since I was running so late.

"Ryouma-kun, are you up?" Nanako's sweet voice filtered through my door.

"I am now." I said, clearly agitated, and I heard her giggle and head downstairs. I was hurrying too much to be able to think at all, so my shower was short and perfunctionary. Hair still dripping water, I clattered down the stairs, glad I could do it with only the slightest of twinges. I was very grateful for my strong, healthy body as I raced for the door, wondering if I was going to have to book it the whole way to make it on time.

"Hold it, Ryouma-kun!" Nanako was swinging a sweater over her shoulders, her purse in one hand. "I'll take you, I'm headed out to a doctor's appointment anyway."

I gave her a rare, grateful smile and she smiled back in her sunny way, bustling out the door with one hand full of purse and the other clutching her sweater when it wasn't being used to open and close doors and the like.

I stepped out into the sunny Thursday morning and realized immediately from the chill in the air that I'd need my jacket. The only thing hanging up right there in the hallway was my regular's jacket, so I hurriedly grabbed it and pulled in on my arms as the crispy morning air found every exposed bit of skin. I zipped it halfway up on the way to the car and got in.

The drive started out quiet, but it was the kind of quiet that was sure to be broken, so I took the offensive before Nanako could go asking me questions I didnt want to answer. "Ne, Nanako, what's your appointment for?"

She stared very hard at the road as she replied. "Just a regular check-up."

I frowned. "You had one last spring." We'd all had our yearly check-ups in the spring.

"It's a girl thing." She said, and I smirked.

"What kind of girl thing?"

Flustered, she sent me a strange look. "Tell you what, when you want to tell me what that phone call was about yesterday, I'll tell you secret stuff too."

We were pulling up to the school already, and since I had no idea how to answer that, I just stared at her hard. The warning bell rang up at the school and I sighed in defeat.

"Later," was all I could think of to say. I quickly slipped from the car and hurried into the school, hearing the car drive away without waiting.

~*~

The day had gone quickly, and when lunch came I went to the cafeteria to snake some food and eat in my favorite spot on the roof. The regulars were pretty used to this behavior of mine, and though a few calls came my way, I ignored them and left the cafeteria to climb the stairs to the roof. I realized belatedly that neither Fuji nor Tezuka had not been in the group and nearly hit myself for being daft when I found the prodigy on the roof, seemingly waiting for me. For a second I was tempted to turn back around and go back to the bustling room, or better yet, to an empty classroom, but my pride was pricked at that idea and finally I just propped the door open and turned to give Fuji a hostile glare.

"I already told you, I dont care what you do, so just quit messing with me." I plopped down on the roof and tore into a carrot stick, chewing angrily. Fuji didnt try to cross the distance between us, and I found myself inadvertantly studying him.

Fuji looked tired. His normally smiling face looked quite serious, and there were lines at the edges of his mouth and eyes. I paused in my chewing to frown at him. Was he not sleeping well? What could be keeping Fuji awake at night? Was something seriously wrong? Could he-

I stopped myself. I sounded like Oishi, all concerned and gentle. That wasn't me. I didnt give a shit. Right? _Right?_

"Messing with you?" Fuji finally said, and at least his voice sounded like his own.

"Ah." I replied between bites, moving on to the next thing on my plate without really tasting it. I froze at Fuji's next words.

"What if I said I wasn't messing with you? What if I said-"

I didn't want to hear this. "I'd say I didn't believe you." I mumbled through my food, swallowed, and glared at him. "Am I just this much fun to tease?"

"Ryouma..." He said lowly.

"And don't call me so familiarly, either." I liked the way my name rolled off of his tongue too much, so I'd have to put a stop that. Fuji couldn't have any other part of me, not if he was just going to use it for entertainment.

"Echizen-kun." His voice was cold, and I looked up at him in the middle of taking a bite of something I wasn't tasting. "This isn't just some game." He said quietly. "I'd really like for us to be closer."

That was it. I scowled and pointed at him, swallowing and shoving my tray away. I wasn't really hungry anyway. "That's going too far, Fuji. Other people might fall for those lines, but I won't. So don't bother saying that sort of thing to me. It's dispicable." I stood up, dusted off the knee of my black school pants, and walked away without looking back. I left the tray behind. Someone would pick it up, and if they didnt, I'd get it next time I came up here.

~*~

The rest of the day crawled forward, giving me too much boredom, which equaled way too much time to think. I stayed firm in my belief that Fuji was just trying to pull one over on me for quite a while. I truely believed it as I sat there and listened to _this_ teacher prattle on about _that_ subject. It seemed the most obvious choice, the only viable option. Everyone on the team knew Fuji dated more than anyone else, and I had always sort of looked up to him because of it. It seemed brave, and smart, and cool. But now, now it made me angry. To me, Fuji seemed cruel, and dumb, and just like millions of other people in the world. It hurt just a little to think that he was my friend, to think that I used to look up to him so much, only to have him turn out like the rest of the people in this world.

Or at least, I had myself fully convinced of this until afternoon practice started.

Fuji was acting strangely. That was the only way to put it. He wasn't openly doing anything different, but I noticed a small change in him, just the same. When someone complained about something or voiced a problem or worry, he was the last one to give consoling advice, and it seemed half-hearted to me. And he never looked at me, not once. It was unnerving. I hadn't really expected him to give up, and now that he seemed to have done just that, I was completely confused. He wasn't acting like someone who had been teasing only to be reprimanded. He was acting like someone who had been hurt and rejected.

It occurred briefly to me that this might just be more of him messing with me, but it seemed odd to me that he was doing it this way. This just wasn't Fuji's... style.

I brushed it off and went out to the tennis courts to practice with everyone else, only vaguely aware that we were missing our captain.

Inui decided it might be showing if we paired up and played some doubles to unmask our weaknesses, and I ended up on the same court as him facing off with Momoshiro and Kikumaru. On the next court, Oishi and Kawamura were playing against Fuji and Kaidoh. It was strange, and hard, and I was having difficulties bowing under Inui enough to play with him instead of against him. I disliked doubles. I'd rather have played both Momo and Kikumaru without Inui's help. I knew I would have played better.

Kikumaru got a ball in on our side with another one of his acrobatic plays and I looked across the courts as I waited for the next serve. I noticed Momoshiro and Kikumaru giving each other a high-five and grinning at each other and couldn't help but poke at it.

"Ne, Momo-chan, you and Kikumaru make an awful good pair." I left the comment empty, so nobody else would get the drift, but Momo did, and the grin slipped off of his face. He opened his mouth to say something, glanced and Eiji, and closed it. Eiji, being as quick as he was, noticed and bounced over to his tennis partner.

"Hoi hoi, what's wrong, Momo-chan?"

"Nothing." Momo muttered, but Eiji wouldnt leave it be. Satisfied I had caused a rift big enough to jumble up their game, my gaze swept the rest of the court to check out the game next to ours. My eyes were drawn to Fuji like a magnet and the first thought I had was that Fuji's game was off. I don't think anyone else had noticed since Kaidoh and him were winning, but somehow the prodigy's shots seemed like they were only halfway thought through. It seemed like he was just taking advantage of spur-of-the-moment openings without actually thinking them through and letting Kaidoh take care of the rest. Kaidoh seemed more than up to the task of carrying the game, but he kept eyeing Fuji too, and I realized he'd noticed something as well.

"Echizen, Fuji's shots seem 20% less precise today. Does he seem different to you?" Inui was at my shoulder, watching the game as well. I was surprised to be asked, and Inui must have seen that, because he went on. "I can never take very accurate data on Fuji." He said, sounding like it had been a bit difficult to admit.

"Ah, he does." I finally answered, but turned back to our game because Momo was serving. Watching the way Momo's serve was a little too hard, a little uncontrolled, made my brow furrow. How was me picking on Momo about his discomfort around Eiji really any different then what Fuji had been doing to me? Was I really any better than Fuji? Still, there was a vast difference between poking someone's sore spot to throw them off of their game, and telling someone lies about your own motivations when it was something so personal. Or was it just that I didn't like being teased, but if I was doing it, it was okay?

No. There was a line you didn't cross, and Fuji had crossed it, trying to mess with my feelings and quite possibly my body by telling me things that were untrue. That was wrong.

But what if he hadn't been lying?

~*~

I was certain, as we made our way back to the lockers after practice, that I was playing right into Fuji's hands. He had planted a seed of doubt in my mind, and now I couldn't get rid of it. Besides, watching Fuji out there today, seeing the way he forgot to smile and nod and agree the way he usually did, was something I wasn't comfortable with. If letting Fuji play his little game would get him back to normal, even if it was only because his ploy worked, was all I had to do to make him stop what I was calling the Fuji-mope, then I would do it. I would do it because it bothered me to see him looking so lethargic about something he loved, and I would do it because a tiny, itsy-bitsy peice of me really wanted to. Besides, if he wasn't lying, this sure was one way to find out.

So once in the locker rooms, I went straight to the boy that had been driving me crazy all day and waited for him to acknowledge me. He seemed almost unwilling to and finally turned to me with an unreadable expression.

"Did you want something, Echizen-kun?" His voice was empty, not pleasant, just empty.

"Stay after. I need to talk to you." I said demandingly.

"I have-" he was actually going to make an excuse, but I cut him off.

"It won't take long, and it's important." With the rest of the team minus one regarding us curiously, he could do nothing but agree. Or else he'd have to say things in front of them he didn't want to. When I was sure he wasn't going to take off, I hurriedly changed my clothes, put away my stuff and then sat and waited for everyone to leave. Momo, remembering the talk we'd had yesterday, kept giving me strange looks, but eventually left with the others, mentioning something about being at the burger place with Eiji if I wanted to come by after. I made vague hand motions waving him off. Kaidoh, Kawamura and Inui left without a second look, but Oishi stopped in front of me, looking worried. He opened his mouth, shut it, opened it again, and finally just shook his head and left.

Okay, so everyone had noticed something weird going on. How much had they guessed? Did it matter? Maybe. Could I do anything about it now? No. So I sat and waited quietly, messing with my racquet strings, overly aware of Fuji sitting patiently and waiting for me to do something. When I was sure everyone was gone I finally packed my racquet and stood up, leaving my bag leaning against the lockers. My mind was made up, and I was a strong boy. I knew how to be confident, and I knew this was what I wanted to do, so I just did it.

My feet carried me slowly over to Fuji, my gaze staying firmly on his face until he blinked his eyes open at me, looking slightly uneasy. When I was standing directly in front of him, I did something I'd been longing to do for two days; I speared my fingers into the soft, straight hair, and bent my neck enough to press my lips to his. Fuji was frozen in place, his lips resistant, and I growled under my breath and tipped my head to get a better angle before sucking his resisting lower lip into my mouth. I sucked and flicked his lips with my tongue and nibbled gently with my teeth until he groaned and kissed me back, his head tipping back to improve the angle more. Our tongue's clashed and pushed and battled until finally with my superior height advantage since I was standing while he was sitting, I pushed past his tongue to stroke the wet muscle with mine.

I pulled back after a moment, breathing hard, my heart racing, feeling crazy and desperate. I stayed still with my forehead pressed to the older boy's until I had my body fully under control and then backed off enough to look down into that intelligent, icy, cerulean gaze.

"If you're despicable, then I guess I am too." I said, and watched Fuji dig into his memory for what I meant. When I saw it start to dawn on him, his lips curving into an amused smile, I backed off and shouldered my bag. I was on my way out of the locker room when Fuji's voice stopped me.

"Echizen?" I paused. "I'll be calling you this evening."

I let my lips pull up into a small smile. "I'll hang up."

Fuji was still smiling his amused smile. "I know."

~*~

Eiji was nibbling away at some fries and Momo was working on what I thought was his third burger when I sauntered into the restaurant, plopping into a seat next to Eiji without a second thought. Momo was looking at me a bit strangely as he chewed, and Eiji gave me his usual greeting, cuddling close for longer than was really polite before finally pulling back to finish the french fry he'd been working on.

"Nya, Ochibi, we started without you. Sorry." The redhead said, offering me a french fry. I took it gratefully enough.

"It's fine." I said as I chewed.

"Ne, Echizen, what did you need to talk to Fuji about?" Momo was eying me curiously and with a sudden burst of long-awaited intelligence I realized Momo was actually putting two and two together and coming up with something close to four. How had I not realized before that the boy I considered my best friend was onto me?

"None of your business." I grumbled irritably, trying to figure out how to rectify this situation. The waitress came over to take my order and I told her to bring me one more then Momo had of everything he'd ordered. The waitress, a new girl who'd yet to witness our eating contests, looked like her eyes might fall out of her head, but took the order and brought it over within a few minutes. I packed away three burgers to absolute silence from my companions and was grateful. I didn't need to talk all the time to enjoy company. Of course, blissful moments like these never did last.

"So how long do you think our captain is going to be out for?" Eiji asked, looking a little down. I felt a twinge of guilt because I honestly hadnt even put any thought into that question myself.

"Probably until his shoulder can handle playing again." Momo answered confidently, sounding like he was saying the words more for Eiji's benefit than any real belief in them. I chewed my way through a fourth burger as another brooding silence stretched, this one less comfortable than the last, and finally Eiji seemed to rally himself enough to break it.

"Momo... where do you think he puts it all?" Eiji stage-whispered, looking slightly nervous, like he thought I might throw it all up on him any moment. Fact was, I felt better right now than I had all day, all day yesterday too.

"Probably his overlarge ego." Momo joked, and with that, I saw him relax slightly.

"An ego is only too big if it can't be backed up, like yours is, Momo-sempai." I said, and bit into my fifth (and last) burger. That got a whole different kind of banter started up, and I relaxed and enjoyed it. I hadnt realized until recently how much I enjoyed this easy comfortability with all of them, especially these two people. Maybe it was because we could all joke and pick and make fun of each other, and at the end of it, we knew that really we respected each other. Maybe I was just being overly sentimental.

Yeah, that was it. Where was all this new shit coming from, anyway?

It was all Fuji's fault.

~*~

Eiji left us to our food devouring, and when we were both quite ready to puke (and rather broke because of it) we finally left. Momo had his bike, like usual, and now that we were alone, he was quiet. Strangely quiet. I wanted to enjoy the complete lack of conversation and nerve-grating idiocy, but I couldn't, because I knew, I just knew something was coming.

Sure enough, it came.

"Ne, Echizen, you didn't seem bothered when Eiji hugged you today..." He said hesitantly, rubbing the back of his head. I felt a small stab of annoyance.

"Why would I?"

"Well, we had that talk yesterday..." Momo was looking even more uncomfortable. I was getting more aggravated. Was Momo going to act this way if he found out I liked boys too?

"What does that have to do with anything?" I had failed to keep my voice empty, and there was the beginnings of anger threaded through my words.

Momo looked at me, a little surprised. "Well, everything. I mean, doesn't that change things for you? How you see him?" He was looking at me plaintively now, like I should give him the answers he needed. I frowned.

"No." Then I really thought about my answer and decided that since it was Momoshiro, and since he was more freaked out about this than I had first thought, I'd give him as straight an answer as I could. "Yes. It altered how I saw him for a brief second, but then I realized that regardless of that, Eiji was just Eiji." I realized quite suddenly that we were only talking about Eiji, that the others hadnt even come up, and I began to have some suspicions. "Momo-sempai... does being around Eiji bother you?"

"Yadda!" He answered immediately, glaring at me. I glared back, and slowly his expression downgraded to something close to desperation. "I guess it does." He stuttered, looking at the ground as we walked. "It doesn't bother you at all?" He asked weakly.

"No, I dont see Eiji that way, and I dont think he sees me that way." I said, face straight, and Momo gave me a wry expression.

"What are you implying, shrimp?" He grumbled.

"I'm _saying_ that it looks like you're attracted to Eiji."

I realized I was walking by myself and stopped and looked back to see Momo frozen, looking quite shocked. I let him work things out in his mind, even as his mouth tried vainly to make the comment worthless.

"That's not funny, Echizen." He took an angry stride forward.

"It's a little funny." I persisted, and Momo scowled.

"Betsuni."

We parted ways a little tense, but I figured the big guy would get over it eventually. I didn't turn to watch Momo's retreating back and see his brooding air, because I didn't need to turn to see it. I had given Momo some food for thought, and he was having a hard time getting that bite down. He'd figure out his own problems eventually, and I had enough to deal with.

~*~

Fuji did call me that night.

I was just coming through the door, listening to Nanjiroh complain about me not calling home before going to the burger joint, when the phone rang. We both froze; I eyed him, and he eyed me, and we both lunged for it at once.

"It's for me!" I claimed, though I was only guessing.

"Oh, and if it's not? Are you going to hang up on -_oof_- one of my –Hey! No pinching!" Yeah, I was willing to fight dirty to get to that phone before him. "I have friend's that call too." He said, still struggling with me to reach the phone.

I smirked. "What friends?"

Nanjiroh tried to look affronted. "I can't believe my own flesh and blood is so rude, so mean, so -_Arg!_" Nanjiroh let go of me when I elbowed him in the stomach and I made a break for the phone, snatching the receiver up.

"Hello?" I was out of breath from struggling, and there was a surprised silence on the other side of the phone.

"Echizen, were you that eager to hear my voice?" Fuji sounded about as amused as usual, and I fought to steady my breathing and sound nonchalant. My face felt slightly warm, and I hoped like hell I wasn't blushing.

"Yadda. Do you want something?"

"Yes. You." The answer came quickly and unexpectedly, and this time I couldn't help the blush that stained my cheeks. I turned towards the wall to hide it and was about to answer -probably with something sarcastic- when Fuji continued. "Actually, I was really hoping we could go on a date."

Nanjiroh was sidling up close, trying to get a look at me to see why I was so interested in getting to the phone before him.

"No." It was almost automatic to give the negative reply, and I turned abruptly to keep my father at my back.

"Oh, didn't I explain the rest?" Fuji sounded too happy, which meant bad news for me. "It's tomorrow. You pick where we go and what we do... or I will."

"I'm not going." I said definitely, and was about to hang up, when Fuji's next sentence stopped me.

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to come to you, then." The other boy was obviously quite taken with this idea. "I think I'd really enjoy meeting your father, Ryouma-kun."

Images of Fuji and my father taunting me together paraded through my brain and my fingers tightened on the phone. "The movies."

A brief pause, and Nanjiroh had given up trying to see me and was just inching closer, trying to hear.

"What was that, Ryouma-kun?"

"We'll go to the movies." I repeated through clenched teeth. Honestly, besides playing tennis or eating out, it was the first thing that came to mind.

"Alright, do you mind if I pick the movie?"

I was wary of this, but decided I'd deal with it when the time came. "Betsuni."

"Wonderful. See you tomorrow at school, Ryouma-kun."

I didn't bother to answer, but instead just hung the phone up and managed to hit my father up the side of the face at the same time. It was his fault, he'd been too close. While he was busy nursing his bruised cheek, I grabbed my stuff and fled to my room, unsurprised to see a cream-colored streak racing me there. I only just managed to shut the door behind Karupin and myself when I heard my name being called from below. I ignored it and when there were no following footsteps on the stairs, I figured I was in the clear and collapsed across the bed, my cat leaping lightly up and curling into a ball against my side.

I had a date with Fuji.

Until recently, I hadnt thought of dating at all, and I had always figured my first real date would be with someone of the opposite sex. Then again, I hadn't thought I'd have sex for a few more years, and certainly not with a guy, and look where those thoughts had gotten me. The worst part was, now that I'd had a taste of it and knew what I was missing, I actually missed it. Even now it was difficult to keep my thoughts from diving into dirty places.

A knock on my door alerted me that I hadn't lost my father after all, and he came in without asking, without waiting to be acknowledged, so I glared at him.

"Get out."

He ignored that and grinned at me. "Did I just hear you agree to go to the movies... on a _date_?" He folded his arms across his chest and leaned casually against my doorframe. "You should really ask your father before you go off deciding things like that on your own."

I really wanted to wipe that grin off of his face, but nothing good came to mind, so I just rolled over and gave him my back so I didn't have to look at it.

"I'm going to let it go this time. Mostly because I got a phone call earlier from that boy."

I stiffened._ Please don't let it be true, please don't let Fuji have-_

"Fuji was very polite when he asked if you could go out tomorrow night."

Oh _god._ I was going to kill him tomorrow when I saw him, no doubt. I was fighting not to fidget, my whole body trembling with anger and tension. I heard a low chuckle before the door to my bedroom shut and I was left alone to think.

Finally.


	4. Chapter 4

TO MY WONDERFUL REVIEWERS!! (for chapter 3)

Akatsukisunshine: Glad you like my phone call scenes with Ryouma, Nanjiroh, and Fuji. They are always a TON of fun to write. xD

JBubbles: I'm so glad you liked the chapter!! I really enjoy writing this fanfic, sadly, I've no time for it as of late. *sigh*

AnniCat: Sorry, sweetie, still slower than a southern summer day. I'm glad you enjoyed it though. You'll have to let me know about the movie. lol

EchizenRyomaLover: You just about inspired this chapter with the words "smut scenes in the strangest of places". It's not THAT strange, actually, but you'll have to let me know what you think, yeah? Oh, and I like bold ukes too. ^^ And Fuji's sadistic streak? My love, you haven't even seen the beginning yet... kukuku.

Broken Flavors: More Momo drama to come!! In fact, Momo is going to be a big part of this fanfic. ^^ Even thought I dislike the idea of Echizen and Momoshiro being together, I DO have a fondness for the big guy... although you'll see in this installment that I like Kaidoh even more. Tee hee. I fucking love Kaidoh.

Kawaii hime-sama: You think Momo's reaction to Echizen pointing out his like for Eiji was priceless? Dearie, I have much for you in the future. Hahaha! I only hope you enjoy it as much as I think/want you will/to!

Hippy101: Aw shucks. My writing style? Really? And here I was certain it was just the mansex you people enjoyed. xD Sorry it wasn't quick like you hoped. :-/ Also, Momo and Eiji... oh, so much more complicated than that. *nodnod* You'll see! Nobody is going to get the easy way into a relationship in this fic, sadly. It's going to be soap opera-ish. *evil smirk*

IN CONCLUSION: You lovely people are the light of my (fanfiction) life and I adore each and every one of you! Thanks so much for the reviews, and feel free to leave more of them with anything you wish to say! Even if all you want to do is bitch because I'm the slowest updater ever, I'm okay with that. It means you _care,_ which makes me go AWWWW!

*cough* enough of my silly prattling. On to chapter four and all of it's new fun twists!

CHAPTER FOUR!!!

The next day was a mess. A real mess. During morning practice before school, Fuji kept distracting me with the littlest things, and I was beginning to think he somehow knew it. Just when I'd be sure that I was imagining things, and that Fuji was just acting normally, he'd look up from whatever he was doing and give me the briefest of winks. The first time this happened I gave a startled glance around, but nobody at all was paying attention. By the fourth or fifth time, I was actively glaring at Fuji whenever I caught him at it. The worst part was, despite how much I wanted to send a fast ball right into that smiling face, I couldn't keep my eyes away. They just kept going to him of their own accord, like I had absolutely no control of them. I wanted to be mad at myself, but the more I saw of Fuji, the more I realized that the boy was sensual in everything he did. His hands moved smoothly, with surety, his body graceful, every movement showing it off to its best advantage.

How had I never noticed this before?

It wasn't a terribly grueling practice concentration-wise, so I was pretty much in the clear of anyone noting my lack of attention. Lucky me.

Finally, it was over, and I went to change with the rest of the team. I stared quite studiously at my locker while I changed so as to not end up doing a gaped-mouth routine in front of the others, but apparently Fuji wasn't done antagonizing me.

"Anyone have any plans tonight?" He asked innocently, and I stilled for a brief second, fighting off the panicked thought that he might divulge our secret. Of course, neither of us had ever said anything about keeping it a secret, had we? Fuji certainly hadn't thought he needed to keep it from my father. I sighed and braced myself for the inevitable.

"Ah, Eiji and I are going to do a cram session for a big test at my house." Oishi provided, looking as congenial as ever. Eiji, however, was grinning just a little too widely. I caught a brief glimpse of Fuji pausing in buttoning his shirt (obviously for my benefit), and I tore my eyes away to continue glaring at my locker while I changed.

"How about you, Fuji?" Kawamura asked politely. "Any plans?"

I didn't even try to finish the last two buttons on my white school-shirt, waiting to hear what Fuji would say.

"Ah! I have a date tonight." I could hear the challenge in his voice, and I realized quite suddenly that Fuji would tease the hell out of me about it without telling them, because he was really challenging me to tell them myself. So... Fuji wanted the others to know? Or perhaps he just wanted me to come clean with them? I thought of Momo's struggle last night, my fingers still against the buttons I hadn't done on my shirt. Would he be okay with me if I shared this? Then again, maybe finding out something like this was exactly what Momo needed to figure out his own issues. But why in hell should I throw myself at all of their mercy for him?

I realized with a sigh that it was because when it came down to it, after all of the teasing, he _was_ my friend, and he deserved to know. Plus, I could never back down from a challenge.

"So what movie are we going to see, Fuji-sempai?" I said casually, finally doing up those last two buttons. I didn't want to try and study their reactions yet, so I kept putting stuff away and straightening up, listening to the sudden, tense silence.

Fuji broke it, his answer just as casual. "I was thinking something with lots of action since you seem to get bored and fall asleep so easily."

I grinned and kept the banter going. "Action? Why not horror? Or are you too afraid of having to get up and leave if it gets too scary?"

Fuji and I were sharing small grins. Momo was regarding me wearily, and everyone else just looked shocked. Finally, Eiji broke the silence with his usual exuberance.

"Ochibi and Fujiko are going on a date? Kaaawaiiii!" He crooned, throwing his arms around me.

"You two are welcome to come have some sushi at my dad's restaurant after." Kawamura offered with a shy smile.

"Don't stay out too late and end up tired for practice tomorrow." Oishi admonished gently.

Inui spoke up, smiling slightly. "10% chance of rain tonight." He said amiably. "The moon will be 50% waxing, and it will be 10 degrees Celsius, so bring jackets if you're walking." And that was all he had to say about that. Eiji was finally off of me, bouncing around the room excitedly, pausing to share his enthusiasm with others. He hugged Oishi, who accepted it as a usual thing, but when the red head reached for Momo, the spike-haired boy brushed past him and into the middle of the room.

"Don't any of you think this is wrong?"

A strange kind of quiet descended. Everyone was staring at Momo in surprise. I wasn't surprised, not in the least. As usual, but still kind of surprisingly, it was Kaidoh who took the offensive.

"Teme," he growled, "what's wrong with it?"

I was still working out the fact that Kaidoh was defending Fuji and I when Momo answered, turning his anger to Kaidoh rather gratefully.

"Everything is wrong with it. For one thing, Fuji is _two years_ older than Echizen."

It was a point I hadn't even considered until now. Apparently, no one else had either, because some of the general waves of tension going from everyone towards Momo dissipated somewhat.

Until the big idiot opened his mouth again.

"Besides," he said through clenched teeth. "They're both boys."

For the first time I had ever seen, Kaidoh hauled off and slugged Momoshiro.

Everyone was too shocked to react for a moment. We were used to Kaidoh and Momo having their fights, but the farthest it had ever gotten was yelling and grabbing each others' coats, looking inches from biting the other person's nose off. They had, in fact, never actually hit each other, as far as I knew.

Until today. And Kaidoh looked quite calm and just a touch satisfied.

"Listen, dumbass." He told the groaning form of Momo on the floor while everyone else just watched in something close to shock. "You're being even stupider than normal, and I can't abide by it."

And with that, Kaidoh grabbed his stuff and strolled oh-so casually out. Momo seemed to be pushing through the pain well enough to think, and he sat up, holding a hand to what I thought was going to be a hell of a bruised jaw. Oishi, being as kind and as forgiving as he was, went to the stricken boy and offered him a hand up.

"Are you okay, Momo?"

For a second I thought Momo was going to slap that hand away, but finally he took it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, staring very resolutely at the floor.

"Yeah." He answered Oishi, looking like he his world had been skewed a little bit.

_Welcome to my life,_ I thought remorselessly.

"I gotta... Yeah." Without another word besides that, Momo turned and hurried out.

There was a long moment of silence while we all tried to figure out what to say. Finally Fuji broke it.

"Saaa, that was unexpected."

He'd taken the words right out of my mouth.

Before any of us could discuss it further (not that I wanted to) the bell rang and we all had to hurry to make it to our classes.

~*~

The rest of the day dragged on. I must have been acting strangely, because a couple of people, including Kachiro and Ryuzaki's granddaughter (whose name I remembered was Sakuno as soon as I heard it) asked me if I was okay. I gave them irritated brush-offs and they mostly left me alone, which was exactly what I wanted.

It turned out that was exactly what I didn't want, because with nothing to distract me, I couldn't help but notice how slow the clock ticked, how each minute felt like an hour, and each hour felt like a life-time. I was getting more annoyed with myself every moment for being so anxious to get through this day. Had I really become that infatuated with Fuji? Or perhaps I just enjoyed the attention? Why in the world was I looking forward to the end of this day so much?

Lunch was a wonderful reprieve, and I was far too jittery to take my usual nap, so I strolled into the lunch room and settled down across from Fuji like I had the day before yesterday. There was a brief interlude in the conversation, but it started back up quickly enough, and I breathed out a sigh of relief I hadn't realized I'd been holding in. Some part of me had thought all of their reactions were too good to be true, that things wouldn't go on as usual once it sunk in, but apparently I'd been unconsciously worried about this for nothing, because the playful bantering and usual topics didn't seem strained, and I couldn't feel any tension in the air.

The only thing that was missing was the presence of a certain idiot in the empty seat next to mine.

"So Echizen," Fuji regarded me from across the table with his usual pleasant expression. "How do you feel about this new trend in vampire flicks?"

"It's weird."

Fuji leaned forward and put his face in his hands, smiling. He looked cute, and he knew it. "So you don't like vampire movies?"

This wasn't really the case. I just found their sudden huge popularity kind of strange. I opened my mouth to say as much, but the words died in my throat.

Momo was standing over the table, looking at it hard. We all went quiet, even Eiji, and waited to see what Momo would say.

"Uh, about earlier," He started, rubbing the back of his neck, the right side of his jaw a nice red-going-purple, "I think I owe all of you an apology-"

"Baka," I interrupted, lifting my chin in a superior manner. "Like your stupid words have any effect on us."

"Saa, sit down and eat, Momo. You must be hungry." Fuji nodded to the open place next to me.

"Nya!" Eiji pounced on Momo immediately when he did sit, and Momo let him, only looking vaguely uncomfortable. "So you've come around then, Momo-chan?"

Momo nodded, looking gratefully from face to face.

Oishi smiled at him. "I was worried about you, Momo. I'm glad you're okay with us."

"Momo isn't the type to forget the important things for too long." Inui provided.

"So I knocked some sense into that thick head of yours finally?" Kaidoh asked, and Momo rose to the bait like nothing had ever changed.

"Who are you saying has a thick head, Viper?" He shot back, and the rest of lunch went just as it should have. Like nothing had ever changed.

~*~

I wasn't quite sure why, but somehow, knowing that all was well with my teammates put me in a better mood, and the rest of the day progressed much more quickly than the first half had. Rather soon I was packing up to head home, trying to figure out what I was going to do for the next few hours.

Fuji caught me on the way out, falling into stride with me easily. "Ne, Echizen, we'll be going to a movie at 7, so be ready to go by six-thirty." He told me, looking just a tad bit smug. He was planning something, and I tried to be angry about it and just couldn't find it in me right now.

"Sure. What are we watching?"

"It's a surprise." Fuji's pleasant expression gave nothing away and I sighed, knowing whatever it was, I probably wasn't going to like it. Maybe I would be able to take that nap after all. Upon further thought, I realized that Fuji would never allow that, and I was probably shit out of luck. It wasn't long before we were approaching where Fuji had to turn off to go home, and he leaned down close to me, a hand on my arm preventing me from taking that space back. When his breath caressed my ear and sent shivers down my spine, I wasn't altogether certain I really wanted to be farther away anyway.

"I'd walk you home, but there's somebody else waiting to have a moment with you." He brushed a butterfly kiss over my ear that could easily be mistaken for more whispering. "Don't do anything that would make me jealous." He said lowly, and then released me and turned to go down his street, smiling and waving over his shoulder. "Ja ne, Ryouma-kun!"

Just as Fuji said, less than a minute after I continued my trek home, there was the sound of a bike being ridden up pretty fast behind me. I ignored it because I knew Momo wouldn't run me over, and sure enough it skid to a halt next to me.

"Hey, Echizen, can I talk to you?" Momo panted, one foot planted on the ground.

"About what?"

Momo looked uncomfortable. "You know... About... _things_."

"Talk if you're going to, but I'm not going to wait for you." I continued on my way, and Momo swung off his bike and wheeled it next to me, staying silent for a minute or two.

"So you really don't think Fuji's a little too old for you?" He asked slowly. I decided ambiguity was the way to go here.

"Maybe he is. How is that any of your business?"

Momo opened his mouth to reply, shut it, and actually thought about what he was going to say. He wet his lips. "You're right. It's not my business." He finally admitted. "I just- I think maybe Fuji is a little bit too..." He was searching for a word, and I knew what he wanted.

With a smirk, I supplied it. "Sadistic?"

Momo nodded. "Sadistic. Yeah. I think Fuji is too sadistic for someone as young as you are." Momo looked like he was trying to spit something else out, and I gave him a moment to work through it, until he finally said it. "He hurt you the other day. I just think maybe you should aim for someone a little gentler until you've had some experience."

I forgot to walk and simply gaped at Momo. I had always figured the big guy for an idiot, too big and brawny to ever really use his brains, but apparently he'd figured out something I hadn't wanted to share, and I wasn't sure what to do about it. How did I explain to Momo that it turned out I was just masochistic enough to sort of enjoy Fuji's sadism? I didn't, that's how.

"I don't know what you mean." I lied, relieved when my house came into view.

"Come on, Echizen. You looked like you'd been beaten up yesterday, and when I said something about it, you got defensive. You can't pretend it didn't happen, not to me." Momo was being too serious lately, and I decided I didn't like it.

"I have homework to do." I said by way of excuse and started up the steps to my house, thankful all I had to do was ignore the words thrown at my back as I went.

"This isn't good for you, Echizen. If you don't do something about it, I'll find someone who will."

I paused briefly at that, but then continued into the house without comment.

After all, what could I say?

I needed to fill the next hour and half, and I went through the house in search of a certain person, finding him lazing about reading his magazine's as usual by the temple bell.

"Ne, Oyaji." I called. "Come play some tennis with me."

~*~

Two sweaty hours later I was trudging into the house, feeling a lot better, even though I'd only managed to score one point against my father when he'd been distracted by a cute girl walking on the edges of the shrine. Tennis was always like that for me; the ultimate stress relief. Well, the best relief I'd had since that night in the locker-rooms...

I shook that thought from my head and put my stuff away before climbing the stairs and entering my room to get ready for my date.

Twenty minutes later I was tying the laces of my cleanest sneakers, trying to decide if it was worth it to comb my hair straight, when the doorbell rang ten minutes early. I bit back an annoyed sigh and got up, doing a once-over. I'd worn full-length jeans since Inui had mentioned it being a bit chilly, with a t-shirt and half-zip pull-over fleece in forest green. The fleece could be zipped up and would keep my neck warm should it get colder than Inui had predicted, plus it had pockets. Pockets were good, they would keep my hands warm, and also keep them from doing something I'd regret later. I'd left the fleece as far unzipped as it would go for now because it was too warm really in the house for it, and the high, upright collar framed my neck and collarbones where they showed above the t-shirt.

Deciding I looked good enough since it was just Fuji, I slipped from my room and padded down the stairs.

Fuji, on the other hand, had dressed up a bit. He hadn't seen me yet as I came down the stairs, too busy talking to my father, and I took a moment to stare like I wanted to so much.

He was wearing something akin to a business punk look. He had on low-riding black dress slacks a couple of sizes too big with a large white dress-shirt over it, untucked, with a red and black checkered tie pulled down to half-mast. There was a beige sweater in his hand that I was sure would go over the ensemble should it get cold enough for it. Somehow he made the outfit seem like business attire that had been mussed, and to me, it screamed of sexuality. Almost like I had been the one to loosen that tie and untuck that shirt to get at him better...

"Saa, so you are ready. I know I'm a little early." Fuji was smiling up at me, and I forced myself to stop staring and remember who I was.

"I should make you wait for coming early."

Fuji laughed and Nanjiroh cleared his throat.

"Ne, Fuji-kun, I do need to request that you be a little gentler with my son." I cringed, teeth baring in anger that my father would bring this up, eyebrow twitching. "See, he can't play tennis with me if he ends up in the condition he was last time. Luckily for you, it was raining that day, so we couldn't have played anyway, or else I might have-"

"Never mind." I interrupted, rushing forward and grabbing Fuji's hand to drag him out of the house. "We're not waiting after all." Fuji's fingers wrapped warmly around mine and he allowed me to pull him along at a good clip.

"Thank you for allowing me this time with your son, Nanjiroh-san." Fuji called, smiling over his shoulder as we nearly ran down my walkway towards the street. "I'll bring him back to you in good condition."

Once we were out of site of the house, I tried to throw Fuji's hand away from me, but he held tight, and I felt my cheeks heat slightly. "You can let go of me now." I mumbled, going a little faster than was necessary down the street.

"I don't want to." Fuji replied, keeping pace with me. "Saa, did I tell you that I like what you're wearing?" I threw him a scornful look. "It frames your throat in a lovely manner."

My hand was itching to zip the fleece up, but I resisted on principle. Mustn't let the sadistic prodigy know when he's gotten to you. Instead, I decided to try something new; I was going to see if Fuji Syusuke could blush.

"Your outfit suits you. It looks like it's already half-way towards coming off." I'd meant it to be both embarrassing and degrading, but Fuji was more than equal to that.

"Perhaps you'd like to finish the job later?"

I flushed harder and gave this set to Fuji. But the match wasn't over yet, and I was determined to score a point somehow. I'd just have to bide my time and study my opponent's -I mean date's- weaknesses. After all, even Fuji Syusuke had to have a weakness, right?

"Are you going to tell me what movie we're watching now?" I said, trying to take the conversation in a different direction.

"You'll see when we get there." Fuji was grinning. I sighed and figured whatever it was, I could sit through it. It couldn't be worse than sitting through English class. As we neared the movie theater I tried to read the sign and see what movies were playing, but I just couldn't guess. There were only two action movies playing, one horror, a couple of romances, and a couple of comedies. It was only as I read that times the movies were playing that I started to get a sneaking suspicion that we weren't really going to see action or horror at all. Our conversation during lunch flashed back to me.

There was no line and as we approached the teller my eyebrow started to twitch. "Fuji sempai..."

Fuji stepped gracefully in front of me and smiled at the lady selling tickets. "Two for New Moon, please."

We were going to see a frigging sparkly vampires romance flick. I decided, then and there, that I would be wringing Fuji's neck, and soon.

"Vampires are one thing," I growled as we entered the theater. "But _sparkly_ vampires?"

"There are werewolves too."

I was slightly taken aback. Werewolves? There must be at least _some_ action if there were werewolves in it. I'd never seen an entirely awful werewolf flick. I began to be a tad more optimistic at this and decided I could at least try and watch the beginning. If it got too awful I'd leave. Fuji had paid for it, after all, so I wouldn't be out any money, just some wasted time.

Speaking of which, Fuji was currently buying us popcorn and candy and drinks up the wahzoo, like he thought we were going to be starved or something. My pride reared its ugly head, and I laid a hand on Fuji's arm. "Ne, Fuji-sempai, let me pay for half of my ticket and the food."

I was diligently ignored. My eyebrow started to twitch. "You really must be deaf-"

"Saa, I'll worry about this date." Fuji cut in. "You can pay for the next one."

Slightly pacified, and I mumbled an assent before my brain finally kicked in. Hold the phone, had I just agreed to go on a _second_ date with this idiot? Ah, and I'd allowed myself to be fooled so easily. Well, it wasn't going to happen, and that was that. He could just stuff his second date up his ass, and I'd just have to pay him back for this one.

"Ryouma-kun, where do you want to sit?" Fuji was looking across the seats in the room. It was a pretty packed theater. The middle seats, where I normally would have sat, were jam-packed, and it was either take the very front rows and crane your neck up at the screen, or the very last rows.

The back rows it was. I led the way there, sliding into the very last row, which was completely empty, and sitting in the direct middle seat. Fuji settled next to me, looking just a little too pleased as he put the one drink he'd bought (I was planning on dying of thirst before sharing it with him) in the cup-holder to his right. He pulled the seat next to him down and wedged the popcorn bowl in to keep it open, sticking the candy in there too. He pulled the armrest between us up and I suddenly found that with nothing to keep us apart, the urge to be closer to him was nearly overwhelming. So I slammed it back down. And he lifted it back up. We fought over that armrest for a few minutes before Fuji got the bright idea to simply put himself in the way, sliding over when he managed to get an advantage on me.

Now I was pressed hard into the _other_ armrest, Fuji's body a solid, warm line against mine. I debated simply getting up and moving, but I knew that the prodigy was tenacious enough he'd just follow after me and I'd be no better off than I was now. I conceded another point to him grudgingly, and wondered how I could get back at him. As the movie finally started, I was trying to shift a bit, because the damn armrest was digging into my ribs. Sighing, I turned my eyes up to the boy next to me and was not surprised to see him look at me immediately.

"Yes, Ryouma-kun?"

"Go sit back in your seat and I'll leave the armrest down." I said quietly so as to not attract attention.

Fuji smiled at me. "Will you sit close?" he whispered, and it sounded more intimate of a question than it really was.

I grumbled, shifted, and finally nodded. Fuji glided over, just as I asked, and I made good on my word, sitting with my back to the raised armrest, which put our bodies whispering gentle touches if either of us moved. Apparently that wasn't good enough for Fuji, though, and he slipped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me against his chest. I stayed still and unyielding in his hold for about five minutes of the movie (which had started kind of slow, but appeared to be picking up pace now a little bit) and my neck was getting a crick in it.

Fine, he could have another point. It just meant when I made my come-back, I'd completely shatter him. So I settled against him, finding that once I let myself, it was actually pretty easy to get comfortable, and Fuji seemed quite willing to shift and help with that.

The movie was hitting a boring spot, and it was hard to keep my attention on it. Boy leaves girl, girl goes into depression, girl meets a new boy, blah,blah,blah. The new guy (who had just pulled off his shirt, and _oh my god abs_) should just kiss the girl and get it over with, but he didn't, and I was getting bored. It was as my attention started to slip and my eyelids started to flutter that I felt Fuji move.

His hand slipped under my shirt near my ribs and my attention came back online just like _that._ I forgot to breath for a second, and that warm hand traveled across my suddenly expanding and retracting ribs to lightly pinch my nipple. I made a small sound before I could stop myself, shivering, and Fuji took that for a green light and his hand slipped from under my shirt to travel warmly up my thigh.

Something somewhat funny must have happened on-screen, because sudden laughter reminded where we were and what was going on, and I slapped that warm hand away. "Don't be a pervert." I whispered angrily at him. "There's people everywhere."

"Mmm, exciting, isn't it?" He whispered back, and ran his tongue over the shell of my ear. "You sat where nobody could see us because you wanted me to touch you, didn't you, Ryouma?" He took the lobe of my ear between his teeth and bit down lightly. I made a noise somewhere between pleasure and protest and elbowed him.

"Yadda." I growled, sitting forward to put some space between us. I felt like an idiot for not thinking of this sooner. A dark, close theater like this was sensual in its very nature, add the privacy of the back row, and I almost couldn't blame Fuji for jumping to the conclusion he had.

My left wrist was suddenly in a vice-like grip behind my back, a joint lock that hurt when I struggled against it. I clenched my teeth to keep from making a noise that might attract attention and struck out with my other hand at my assailant. That hand was caught too and wrenched back with the other one, and even though I struggled, putting strain on my shoulders, he managed to get both wrists into one hand.

"Let me go." I hissed at him, trying to lean back against the seats enough to get a good enough angle to break his hold, but he just moved with me and adjusted himself in the seat until he could keep his hold on my wrists behind my back easily. I was completely at his mercy, and the sadistic gleam in his open, dark eyes said he knew it too. He leaned into me, his free hand going to my very upper thigh to caress as he whispered to me.

"Stop me, Ryouma. Make enough noise to get some help. You can stop this if you really want to, so do it. Scream for help." His lips and breath moved lightly over my ear, and his hand squeezed my thigh.

"Yadda." I said through clenched teeth. I wouldn't do it, I couldn't stand the thought of asking for help against Fuji. Instead, I vowed to be as quiet as possible, no matter what. I should have been ashamed, or afraid, or something like that, but I wasn't. I was just angry, and excited.

I sucked in a breath through my teeth as Fuji moved his hand higher, to my already hard erection, and brushed his fingertips over the jean-covered thing.

"Oh my, Ryouma. You really do like it when I touch you like this, don't you?" He was caressing that hardness through my jeans the way he had my thigh, pausing to squeeze occasionally, as he breathed words into my sensitive ear. "You like that there are people all around us, nonthewiser, while I make you feel good. It excites you, doesn't it?" He punctuated that question with another squeeze, and a small sound escaped me.

The movie was moving forward, getting close to the end, but I wasn't seeing it. I couldn't think past those teasing fingers that never really gave me but mere fragments of satisfactory squeezes now and then. I endured, and endured, and ached, and Fuji never stopped, nor did he give me what I was beginning to so desperately want. Even though it hurt my shoulders, my body betrayed me, hips rocking against his hand to try and prolong and increase the contact. I bit my lip hard enough to bleed it when his fingers slipped into the top of my pants and wrapped around me, squeezing hard once.

"Beg for it." He said hoarsely in my ear, and I realized that even though it didn't seem like it, I was winning this one.

"Yadda." I stuttered, and gasped when he squeezed again.

"Just say one little word, and I'll jerk you off. One word, and-"

"No." I ground out, even as my body bucked against that hand, clearly saying 'yes'.

Fuji retracted his touch, letting my wrists go too, and I realized the movie was ending, and people were starting to get up. I glared up at him, wanting to hit him, wanting to scream, and wanting to beg him to take me, all at once.

"I hate you." I said instead, and turned away to adjust myself in my pants before stalking out of the theater, a blue-eyed sadist on my heels.

We were going down the street now, the cool air on my face not near cold enough to cool my fervor, Fuji still following behind me. I was about to start saying more things to try and get him out of my presence, when his hand caught mine and wheeled me around to face him. He yanked me close before I could do more than start to get a good glare going and kissed me. He kissed me as if he would devour me, his arms holding me tightly to him, his leg pressed up against my erection, and my body was screaming for more. He moved his leg against me and I reeled away as the sensation tore through me, yanking out of his arms. I stood there for a second, chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath, and stared at Fuji.

"I won't give in. I'm winning this one." I informed him, and despite my body's protests, I turned and started back for home. Every step was nearly excruciating, because I knew what I wanted was right behind me, staring at me with hungry eyes. Luckily, the walk to my house wasn't terribly far, and with hot anger carrying me, I was soon in front of it, my antagonist right behind me. I ignored him and went right for my door, intending on ignoring him to win this match between us, but Fuji had other plans, and he caught my hand as I reached for the door.

"I am getting a kiss goodnight." he said, and it wasn't a question, because he leaned down and kissed me. With freedom just on the other side of the door, I let my control slip a notch and kissed him back.

Big mistake. I found myself pressed against the door with lips assaulting mine desperately, all of Fuji's former calculated moves gone behind a desperate need that matched my own. His hands started to wander, and I fumbled for my doorknob, finally finding it and shoving him bodily off of me while I turned the knob and fell into my house, just barely managing to shut my door quite literally in Fuji's face. I stared at the door in the place Fuji had just been for a long moment, trying once again to breathe normally.

There was a frustrated sigh from the other side of the door. "Goodnight, Ryouma."

And realizing I had finally won, I grinned. "'Night, Fuji-sempai."

When I sauntered unaccosted up to my room and lay down in my bed, I realized quite suddenly that it was a rather empty win, because I was still hard and aching and just as frustrated as he was.

I laid awake for a long time that night.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I've moved, changed jobs, yadda yadda. I apologize for being so slow, and ask that those of you who have been enjoying this fanfic to please bare with me, as more slow chapters are still coming. This chapter is pretty bland in the sexiness department, but a good relationship can't be sexsexsex all the time. xD Especially a budding relationship. Anyway, there will be more lemons later on, never fear. I won't say when I'll just say… soon. lolz

REVIEWS!

Ah, whoever it was that left a review with no name: I'm glad you like it. I'm afraid I couldn't see Ryouma as anything but a strong, but indecisive uke, so… -shrug- that's what I wrote. I think it works well with Fuji. ^^

: You really think my portrayals are accurate? Awwwwws. Thankies! I thought I spotted _something_ between them when I watched the show, so I figured since I liked the idea so much I better do something about it, and that's how this fanfic was born. xD

RainDrops-of-Egypt: Ha ha, hate it, huh? Well, for some reason I love Fuji in that role, though you'll find I do give him his own feelings and doubts later on. We just never really experience them personally because I'm not writing from Fuji's POV. Though it might be an interesting idea to write something from his POV one of these days…

XxAlysxX: Ack! This is the perfect opportunity because I have been dying to know: What anime is Sebastian from?

Also, yes, sadistic semes are win, and strong ukes, double win. xD Sadly, Ryouma doesn't stand a chance.

Lady Knight Keladry: I love male pride. It always makes writing stuff so fun! I'm also glad you enjoy my dramatics, and hope that I don't disappoint in the future.

srey nait: Don't worry, there are many more bangs to come in this fanfic. xD Two more planned, and possible others since I haven't finished planning.

erisreigned: Actually, I saw an episode where Fuji was dressed similarly to how I dressed him, it may have been the pool tournament, and I just had to use it, because god, can we say, sexiness? Lolz

I'm going to keep the other tennis schools out of it for now, simply because my knowledge isn't extensive enough, plus I have so much drama going on with the people in it so far, that it seems unnecessary at this point to widen the circle of people in this fanfic. Perhaps later on I'll consider giving some others some starring roles. xD It's certainly food for thought.

EchizenRyomaLover: Your yaoi mind is meant for my kind of writing, it seems. Ryouma has to resist for a bit longer, or else he wouldn't be staying true to his own character, ne? Luckily for you, my dear, your wish will be granted soon. After all, Fuji's losing patience. –evil chuckle-

My next smut scene might meet your standards for strange places, though it's not terribly strange. The one planned for after that is going to be pretty regular though, sadly. Sorry sweetie.

AnniCat: It took me a very long time to differentiate between Momo and Najiroh's characters. I've found PoT hard to write for, simply because the characters are all just a tad shallow, with no real depth to them, so I had to sort of give them some depth without changing the characters.

The sparkling vampires was simply irresistible. I know it doesn't exactly fit with the culture that PoT is set in, but since I'm personally unfamiliar with it, I figured I'd just kind of make it work as I went along. Truth be told, I love the Twilight series, but I'm not so obsessed that I can't see the faults in the books/movies.

The second date is coming next chapter, chapter 6.

BlueMoon: I'm sorry to say, sweetie, that I've a thing for going against the grain and making pairings that are out of the ordinary. That's right, there will be very little golden pair interaction (a little though, mind you), no Kaidoh/Inui, very little Tezuka/Fuji, and only mentioned in passing. Instead, I'm going to take our pairings in new directions. Luckily for you, since this is in Ryouma's POV, there will be little in the way of details concerning other pairings. ^^

JBubbles: Glad you liked the last one, hopefully you'll think this chapter is okay as well. ^^ I admit, it's a tiny bit of a filler chapter, but as I said before, it can't all be about dramadramadrama and sexsexsex. Lolz. Although I guess there is a touch of lime and some drama in this chappie. xD

Loveless0097: I'm glad you like their roles, and I'm excited to fulfill your needs. –wink- I should warn you, the tables will turn eventually. Mwah ha ha ha!

Hippy101: Dearest, I love all of my reviewers for simply taking the time out of their day to say something, and feel they should be accorded the same value that they make me feel upon reading their reviews. Hot steamy mansex is always fun, and drama can be when done right. I hope I haven't overdone the drama for you? ^^

Kawaii hime-sama: Ha ha, now that you mention it, that is how I imagined Kaidoh hitting Momo. I have no ill will towards Momo either, he was just the only one I felt would have strong feelings about boylove besides possibly Tezuka. His personality made it so he was the only one I could pick on in such a way. Poor Momo.

I don't know if you could tell, but Ryouma wasn't terribly fond of New Moon either. I have much love for the books, a loyalty for the movies because of the books, but that doesn't mean my version of PoT characters are going to share my feelings. ^^

Oh dear, I have stories I hadn't updated in years and years. ._.

Kazumakyu: I'm so glad you liked it that much! I hope you'll be as patient as most of my other readers have been and continue to enjoy my fanfic! I'll do my best to provide continuous entertainment through my story… er… slowly. Lolz

Anabellia Hyuuga: I'm sorry that updating quickly didn't happen for you, dearie. Please forgive me. I'm very glad you like it so much though. ^^

ShadowBlayze: Ha ha, liked the sparkly vampires comment, did you? I was really hoping twifans wouldn't take offense to that, but I figured most of them would be able to separate my own opinions from my characters opinions. ^^

PheonixShadow: Well, as you said, the world doesn't work so easily. Someone had to stand up and give them a hard time for going on man-dates. xD. There will be others, too, though nobody closely related to the tennis team. (with the exception of Momo, of course) oh, and you're very welcome!

A GARGANTUAN HUG for all of those who reviewed my story. I deeply appreciate every word written from each and every one of you, and I hope to live up to your expectations of my fanfic, though I can't guarantee there will be any amount of timeliness to it. ."

Without further ado…

CHAPTER 5

It was a rather nice day to be running laps. That was what I kept telling myself as I made another circuit of the tennis court, because it was either that or be mad about it. I'd been late to practice, and even though it obvious why from the circles under my eyes, Oishi had only given me a concerned look and told me to run thirty. I was about halfway through and just getting my second wind.

This was Fuji's fault, of course. I hadn't been able to sleep last night, for obvious reasons, and it was easy to lay the blame for the whole fiasco on him. _You could have just taken the problem into your own hands,_ a little voice joked in my head, and I closed that kind of thinking down viciously. Sure, Fuji wouldn't have known if I had done it, but I would have known, and it would have meant that I had lost to him after all. It might only have been one win amongst many, many losses, but it was still mine, and I had not been willing to give it up so easily.

Not that it had been easy. Not in the least.

I had gotten past the point where my body started to believe we were really going to do this, so my twentieth lap felt pretty solid, pretty strong. My breathing was coming nice and regular, my muscles whispering a slow, steady ache of complaint. It was all a familiar, wonderful thing that I was very glad at the moment I had. It might not seem like much, but like that one win, it was mine, and nobody could take it from me. Well, barring physically disabling me they couldn't anyway.

I didn't miss the fact that Fuji didn't really look any better than I did today, and I wondered smugly if maybe he'd had as much trouble sleeping last night as I had. Lap twenty-one and twenty-two came and went pretty easily with these thoughts. It was on the twenty-third lap, as the other regulars were taking the mid-practice break, that the bantering started with a cute remark from Eiji.

"Hoi hoi, Ochibi, did Fujiko-chan really tire you out so much last night that you couldn't get to practice on time?" Eiji was grinning devilishly as I ran by him, and I stuck my nose in the air.

"I'm sure it went something like that in his dreams last night." I replied casually, and Eiji covered his mouth as mirth spilled forth. Fuji's tired-looking mouth turned up in an amused grin. Oishi wasn't sure whether to be concerned or amused. Kawamura was blushing slightly, Kaidoh was ignoring us, and Inui was writing furiously in his notebook, about who-knew-what. Only Momo looked troubled by this turn.

Fuji was equal to my teasing. "From the looks of things, your dreams were quite similar to mine, ne, Ryouma-kun?" He casually admitted to dreaming of me and accused me of something that was actually true, all in one easy sentence. Defeated, I yanked my hat down low to hide the heat warming my cheeks more than running ever could. My reaction seemed to trigger chorused laughter from the rest of them, and though I tried to be irritated with it, the negative emotion just wouldn't come. Kami, when I had become so optimistic?

I finished my laps up with just enough time to stretch before practice was continued, and I found myself quite suddenly accosted by two of my sempai at once.

"Hey, Echizen-kun..."

"Ryouma-kun, would..."

Both Fuji and Momo stared at each other as they had both tried to talk to me at once, and I looked back and forth between them. Momo looked like he couldn't figure out how to react, and Fuji was just giving him his usual pleasant expression. After a moment Fuji finally turned to me, obviously ready to say his piece and let Momo speak when he was ready.

"I'd like to practice today with you, Echizen."

"Oh?" I replied, and knew my whole face was lighting up. I did so love to play tennis with Fuji. "You know I plan on winning." I said with a small smile.

Fuji nodded once. "As do I."

"You guys are going to play seriously?" Momo asked, looking torn.

"Didn't say that." I replied, and Fuji grinned, backing me up.

"You know we're not supposed to be playing each other seriously until the next in-house ranking games." And now Fuji frowned. "Or until Tezuka returns."

This had all through of us looking slightly troubled.

"Has anyone asked Ryuzaki-sensei if she knows anything about Tezuka's absence?" Inui looked from face to face, and we all shook our heads. "Perhaps we should inquire with her after practice."

This decided, the pairing up started, and we went to our separate courts. Inui and Kaidoh decided to pair up and work on their doubles skills against the golden pair, while Momo and Kawamura went to work on their strength training against each other. Fuji and I were already volleying the ball back and forth, feeling each other out, because it felt a little different. At least, it did for me.

Finally, I got tired of messing around and slammed a point home. Fuji's eyes flickered open and he gave me a small smile to show he understood; the match started now. He retrieved the ball, served it to me, and I froze mid-swing.

"_Echizen_." It was a voice I couldn't disobey, and Fuji's serve whipped harmlessly by me. I turned around and sure enough, our captain was standing there with arms folded. I heard another ball clang into the fence, and a third hit the net, and then all went quiet.

"How many laps do you think would be fair for disobeying my direct order?" Tezuka was looking from Fuji to me, and I stayed quiet, because I knew my mouth would only get us into more trouble. Was it possible I was growing up a little? Naw. Tezuka went on. "I've only been absent for two days, and yet the two of you can't seem to resist each other."

There was dead silence, and then a low guffaw. I turned my head in time to see Kikumaru clap a hand to his mouth, eyes wide and shiny with suppressed laughter. Several of the other regulars actually were starting to break up around the edges, and then Eiji lost it, breaking into full blown hysterics. Even Momoshiro seemed to find the hilarity of it, and was laughing right along with the others. Fuji was smiling his usual, amused smile, and I tipped my hat down because I could feel the heat in my cheeks.

Tezuka's sharp eyes swept from one of us to the other, clearly befuddled by this reaction, and it was Oishi who decided to inform him of the date last night. Everyone else seemed to be sharing glances with each other, so it was only Oishi, Fuji and I that caught the twitch Tezuka's jaw gave. Was that _intense_ displeasure I was seeing on my captain's face? I squinted to see better into the morning sun, but by the time my eyes refocused, Tezuka's expression was as devoid as ever, and I wrote what I thought I had seen off as surprise on Tezuka's part. Surely my captain wasn't so prejudiced?

"Fuji, Echizen, twenty laps." He demanded, and now I did speak up.

"But sir, we weren't playing seriously-"

"_Thirty _laps." Tezuka bit out, and I snapped my jaw shut.

Well, shit.

As we changed after practice (Fuji and I still huffing and sweating from running all those laps) the talk seemed to be about Tezuka and where he had been. I had to admit, I was a little curious myself. If he had been sick, surely Tezuka would have said something to us, or to Ryuzaki, who would have told us. Of course, Tezuka had been having trouble with his arm… maybe he'd been resting it for a few days after the match with 'The King'? The talk amongst the others seemed to be following the same line, and I frowned, because there were holes in every idea.

"Echizen." Fuji was at my elbow as I slid a shirt over my head. His voice had been low, and the others didn't look up from their talk. Fuji was obviously looking for privacy, so I jerked my head towards the showers (with some hesitation, there were some… interesting memories of this area alone with Fuji) and we sidled off, unnoticed.

"Fuji-sempai…" I mumbled, the memories a little overwhelming once we were alone. My eyes darted, and I was instantly embarrassed. I _hated_ how easily I was embarrassed lately. It was right there in that shower cubicle that we'd had sex… I shuddered at the memory, the kind of shudder that was part fear, and part excitement.

"Let's do a lunch/study date tomorrow." Fuji said without preamble, ignoring my obvious uneasiness. I was taken aback, and stared at him for a moment, a little surprised he was being so direct. Fuji and direct weren't words I'd usually put in one sentence.

"Ano…"

Fuji had noticed my reluctance to agree and grinned. "Well, I was wondering what the others would think if they knew how much you enjoyed the way I touch you. You never did make a peep the whole time in the movie theater… and that kiss at your door when you kissed me back-"

"Fine." I snarled, instantly forgetting my uneasiness in favor of being pissed off. Fuji was manipulating me again, and it was getting fucking annoying, I'll tell you what. "My house, at noon. I'm kicking you out before 4pm." I stated, glaring up at him and daring him to protest. He didn't, instead smiling in that annoying way of his. The only warning I had of the kiss coming was his eyes cracking open, and then he was kissing me, and for a brief moment, I forgot to be angry. The moment wore off though, and soon enough I had my tongue to myself (Bad self, bad!) and had shoved the bigger boy off of me. He let me, looking satisfied, which was getting annoying all by itself, and so I stalked out of the showers so I didn't have to look at him.

Several eyes met mine as I reentered to changing room, but before I could be too much more embarrassed, two things happened at once: Fuji entered behind me, and Tezuka came in through the locker room door, looking authoritative. His mere presence drew everyone's eyes away from us, and I wondered if Fuji was disappointed at the lack of attention. He did so love to embarrass me.

"I have news." Tezuka said, looking from face to face, his voice precise. "My injury was… is bad, and I'll be going away for a while to get it rehabilitated." He was clearly watching for reactions from us, and I was so caught up in myself that I missed their expressions. However, it was impossible to not notice when Fuji's hand went to my shoulder. I sent a glance over my shoulder at him and found his eyes firmly on Tezuka's… and was that possessiveness? I wished he would look at me for a moment so I could properly assess his expression, but he didn't, and my gaze swept to Tezuka.

Who was staring right back at Fuji expressionlessly.

Weird.

Before I could so much as consider what that little exchange might have meant, Tezuka was going on about his trip.

Our captain was going to Germany, as it turned out. He didn't know when he was coming back, or if his arm would ever heal back to full use. It crossed my mind that he shouldn't have wrecked his arm just to win one match, but I kept my mouth shut and just listened. Tezuka could have been a world class player, and instead he might end up being nothing, all so the school could win one stupid match… or more specifically, so _I_ would win one stupid match. It was all so pointless. I refused to meet Tezuka's eyes for the rest of the discussion, until he came to me and spoke directly to me.

"I need you to be our pillar of support, Echizen-kun." His expression was as dead as his voice, and then he said his goodbyes and left.

And just like that, our team was without a captain. Oishi was sort of temporarily in charge, but all of us knew he wasn't as up to the task as he had told Tezuka he would be. I was sure everyone would support Oishi as best they could in this time, so I wasn't terribly worried, but still, we were one player short. Before, figuring out the pairings and singles games in tournaments had been relatively easy, and was left to Tezuka and Ryuzaki. But now… now it would be different. I wondered how things would work now… would Oishi help with that too? Or would Ryuzaki handle it by herself? And just how long was Tezuka going to be gone?

I hadn't realized what a comforting presence Fuji was just behind me until he moved his hand I was devoid of that gentle touch. I fought off mourning it in favor of pulling a sullen apathy around me like a big cloak. The whole room felt sober and slightly suffocating, so I grabbed my stuff and launched myself out of there before it choked off my breath or made me say something stupid. Fuji didn't offer to walk me home, and Momo didn't get the chance, so I was alone as I turned the corner from the school onto the sidewalk.

"Echizen-kun!"

I knew that voice. I considered ignoring it, but instead spun around to see Ryuzaki's granddaughter waving at me and trotting down the sidewalk after me. Great. Just great. I turned on my heel but walked slowly enough that she should be able to catch up and kept my eyes mostly forward as she talked to me.

"Hey Echizen, my grandmother told me about Tezuka leaving. That's pretty bad news, isn't it?" She asked gently, shyly, just as she always did. I won't lie, I didn't mind the girl much, and she was sort of interesting, but kind of boring, too. I simply couldn't see her doing anything passionately. Besides, I thought arrogantly, her tennis sucked out loud. It was kind of ludicrous, kind of silly, and terribly shallow of me, but in all seriousness, how did the girl end up being such a bad player with an awesome coach like her grandmother?

"Betsuni," I answered nonchalantly, and then grudgingly added, "We'll be fine. We have an extra player still."

She seemed satisfied with this answer, and walked along with me for a few minutes, looking jittery. I let her work her own words out, and finally she did, sort of blurting them out all at once.

"Is it true you had a date with Fuji?" She asked, so quickly and in such a high, squeaky voice I almost didn't catch it. My step faltered slightly, and I huffed out an annoyed breath. Who in the world was running their mouths to Sakuno? And how should I answer? I didn't have many choices. I could either lie, which she would figure out eventually, or I could brush her off, which would be rude but doable, or tell the truth. I wasn't exactly ashamed, but I wasn't big on everyone in the school knowing I'd gone on a date with a boy. At least, not yet. This annoyed me all by itself, because it shouldn't matter, right? I shouldn't give a damn who knew what about me. I _shouldn't._ Of course, that didn't change the fact that it did matter.

"Don't go blowing up the school with it." I mumbled, keeping with the ambiguous answers. I was awful good at them, as it turned out. I registered Sakuno's shocked expression out of the corner of my eye before she disappeared from view, her step faltering.

I ignored it.

She trotted a few steps to catch up to me. "I-I would never say anything." She mumbled, her voice full of hurt. I didn't glance her way again, but I got the feeling she was staring very hard at the pavement in front of her feet, still striding along next to me for some damned reason. What _else_ could she possibly want?

After a few restless and annoying moments more, she told me.

"Echizen, do you only… have you made your choice then?" I shot her a confused and irritated expression and she swallowed and clarified. "About boys and girls?"

Since this was a question I had no answer for, I shrugged. "Who says I have to choose?"

I caught the edge of her movement as she gave me a surprised look, clearly taken back by my answer, before a strange kind of relief filled her eyes. "No one. No one says that." And there was a small smile on her lips.

I nearly hit myself. Of course Sakuno hadn't come to me looking for idle gossip. The hurt look hadn't been entirely about me not trusting her with the information… part of it was that Sakuno had thought she would have to give up on me. I should have said yes, I should have made it clear she had no chance with me, because that was truth, plain and simple. I hadn't meant to give her hope. It was cruel of me, and it was even crueler that I didn't stop her from waving and sprinting down the road towards her house. I should have said something, and I knew it right that very moment, but I didn't.

This was totally going to come back and bit me in the ass.

The phone rang, as expected, around 5pm.

"Eh, Ryouma-" Nanjiroh had gotten to it first, and I had quit the fight for the phone for obvious reasons. No point in hiding things anymore, right? Still, my teeth clenched and there was a slight temptation to hit my father when he gave me a lewd and teasing expression before handing me the phone. "Guess who it is."

I didn't need to guess.

"Is there something _else_ you needed, Fuji?" I hissed between my teeth.

"Only you, Echizen." Even through the phone, the sensuality in Fuji's tone was clear, and I felt my cheeks heat with the thoughts behind it. I was quite suddenly very glad my father had retreated hastily to the kitchen for dinner. "I simply missed the sound of your voice, if you're looking for a reason for the phone call." He went on casually.

My cheeks grew warmer still, and my hand clenched the phone tightly. How did Fuji do this to me? How could he so easily say these things to me, without even a hint of embarrassment? Was everything he said to me a lie? I was torn between wanting to believe that to make some kind of rational sense out of his interest in me, but I simultaneously clung to the tenuous hope that Fuji actually had some interest in me as a person, and not just as a conquest. I was being young, naïve and foolish, I knew, but I could grudgingly admit to myself that just like any other person, I longed to be loved.

Coming to this realization pissed me off more than anything Fuji could have said, and my voice was cool when I spoke. "Maybe it would be better if you got used to not hearing it."

Normally, Fuji would have brushed that off and kept right on with his flirting, but something about my tone gave him pause, and his voice came uncertainly over the line. "Echizen… did something happen to upset you?"

I started to form a smart alec reply ("Yes, _you_ called"), but then stopped to think about it. Had something upset me? Maybe a little. That thing with Ryuzaki-san had made me think a little bit about whether I should be making a choice between boys and girls, and if I did, what my choice would be. I knew there were people who claimed to like both, but I couldn't imagine making that choice myself, it just didn't jibe right with me. If I chose boys, as it seemed I would, then I would be giving up any kind of normality in my life from here on out, because to be frank, most people considered being gay abnormal. If I chose girls, then I'd be giving up on my feelings, and on Fuji. The idea of giving up on Fuji lit something inside of me and my hand trembled where I gripped the phone.

"Nothing happened." I lied, my voice full of contempt. "Now if you don't mind, I'll be getting back to dinner now." I was about to slam the receiver down, but Fuji got one last remark in before I could.

"Alright, Ryouma. Sweet dreams." The amusement filtered over the line let me know that Fuji understood just how close to home that one hit, and I dropped the phone in the cradle in disgust. Stomping in the Kitchen to eat dinner, my eyes found two glinty eyed family members, obviously amused as hell by my latest phone call.

Over dinner, my father was waving his arms unnecessarily and teasing me, and it was all I could do not to launch myself across the table and throttle him. Nanako was attempting to remain expressionless in the face of my embarrassment but was failing miserably, hiding giggles behind her hand and nearly choking on her food. My appetite was gone. I pushed back from the table, about to excuse myself, when I saw something innocuous, impossible, taunting me with its very existence.

"That's not…" My voice died in embarrassment and anger. It was a cordless phone sitting mostly hidden on the kitchen table. I blanched. So my father and Nanako had been listening to _both_ sides of the conversation? The room spun and for a moment I wasn't sure if I was going to pass out, throw up, or ignore how I felt physically in favor of committing patricide.

I finally did the only logical thing: I snatched up the cordless phone and brought it to my bedroom, heedless to the words directed at my back as I trundled up the stairs. I hid it away under the loose floor board in my closet and that was that.


End file.
